A Trip to Remember
by Seamistery
Summary: When Rey decides to save an injured Kylo Ren before Starkiller Base is obliterated she never anticipated the journey they would begin. Stuck alone with him, Rey is tested as she tries to bring forth the diminishing light within him. Will she succeed, or will Kylo Ren instead find the darkness within her own heart? Slow build Reylo.
1. Chapter 1

_I do not own Star Wars_

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Rey's lungs burned as she panted in the frigid air. During her duel with Kylo Ren she had thought little of the cold temperature as adrenaline had pumped through her veins. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, the freezing cold caused Rey's muscles to painfully tighten and her eyes to burn as the wind caused them to water. Such a climate was so new to the scavenger that for once in her life Rey missed the smoldering heat of Jakku. Anything was better than the planet that Starkiller Base was located on. Especially since it was about to blow up.

"Only a little farther," she kept repeating to herself as she ran through the crumbling forest, intent on finding Finn. It was a grueling process that involved much backtracking as earthquakes caused the earth to continually open up around her, yet she would not stop. As she moved her hazel eyes frantically observed her surroundings hoping to recognize whether she was even heading in the right direction.

Finally after what felt like an eternity of jumping, climbing, and running, Rey recognized the area she was in as being the location of where they had originally encountered Ren. Now that she knew where she was, Rey desperately searched for her friend, yet there was still no sign of him. Then she saw it. Despite the shaking earth, a human imprint was still clearly visible in the snow. Finn's imprint.

Rey's eyes widened in horror, Finn was gone. Better yet, she had no idea who had taken him. Though she hoped that it was the Resistance, her mind instead procured the image of an injured Finn back in enemy hands. If his injuries did not kill him, surely the First Order would dispose of their traitor. She couldn't bear to lose Finn. He was her first real friend after all.

As if to remind Rey of the planet's dying state, the ground rumbled and she was nearly thrown into the snow.

 _What do I do now!_ She dreadfully thought as the world around her continued to fall apart. It was bad enough she couldn't find Finn, how was she supposed to get off this planet and rescue him if she couldn't even escape herself?

As random cracks in the earth continued open up and swallow whatever was in its path, Rey thought back to Kylo Ren and how she had left him behind after defeating him. A gaping chasm had separated them after their duel and she had thought little of it as she disappeared to find her fallen friend. Despite Rey's dire predicament, she couldn't help but wonder if his injuries had stranded him in his place, dooming him to fall like the planet around him.

Even though the monster had killed his own father and countless others, she couldn't help but feel a touch of guilt for leaving him. The scavenger imagined how disappointed Han Solo would have been if he knew that Rey had purposefully left his son alone to die. Though they had their differences, he clearly still loved him enough to give his life trying to bring him home. If Rey didn't save him now, she would also never discover whether there was any light still left inside of him in order to bring honor to Han Solo's sacrifice.

 _But I need to find Finn, I don't have time to save that monster_ her mind countered. Yet despite Rey's better judgment, she still imagined Kylo Ren's battered form helpless to escape as a chasm opened up beneath him. To Rey, Kylo Ren did not deserve to die just because she was partially responsible, but because death was the easy way out. Someone like Kylo Ren couldn't die now when he had done nothing to redeem himself and repay the galaxy for the pain he had caused. No matter how wicked he was Rey would not have his blood on her hands, nor be responsible for letting him fail to face the crimes stacked against him. Rey would rescue Ren, escape this blasted planet, and then find Finn.

 _Sounds easy enough_ she sarcastically thought.

Her mind made up, Rey dashed through the rupturing forest towards where she had abandoned Ren. With the planet's core heat escaping through the cracks in its surface, it dissipated the frigid air's bite, allowing warmth to return to Rey's limbs. Moving more quickly, Rey used her scavenging skills to quickly navigate the dangerous landscape as it collapsed around her.

 _This is crazy. This is crazy. This is crazy!_ Rey screamed in her head as the earth nearly swallowed her up again. _To think this is all for a man who just tried to kill me_!

When she finally returned to the chasm, Rey wasn't sure if she should have felt relieved or not to see Ren's dark form still crumpled in the snow. Repressing the urge to second guess her decision, Rey began to speculate how to get to the other side of the chasm without killing herself. Thankfully Rey's scavenger skills made her a quick thinker when it came to utilizing her environment. She whipped out her light saber and turned it on before using it to cut down a particularly large tree. After the blue saber cleaved the tree from its base, it fell across the chasm with a bang, forming a bridge to the other side. Rey wasted no time as she dashed across the tree's aging bark in order to reach Kylo Ren.

As Rey approached Ren, she slowed her steps and quieted her haggard breaths. One wrong move and she might end up dead when it came to this unpredictable man before her. As Rey stepped towards Kylo Ren she was hesitant as if approaching an injured creature.

 _He might as well be one_ she thought.

Rey breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that his light saber lay next to his form and not dangerously clutched in his hand. On closer inspection she realized that he was in pretty bad shape. Kylo Ren's eyes were closed as blood seeped through the fingers of his left hand which clutched his face. Seeing his lack of movement, Rey became worried about his condition.

 _He can't be de-_ Rey's thoughts were cut off when she jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding Ren's crackling saber when it flew into its master's hand.

Kylo Ren's eyes burned with hatred as he weakly lifted his face to watch Rey. "Come back.. .to finish me..off?" he defiantly mumbled through his hand.

 _I can't believe I'm doing this._

"As tempting as the idea is, I'm actually here to get you off of this planet," Rey returned, despite her dislike of the plan.

Kylo Ren scoffed. "Why? So you can…. take me back to the Resistance?" he bitterly asked. "You're better off…leaving me here to die…" Ren spat.

Rey's hazel eyes burned with anger. It was bad enough she had to save him, but having him put up a fight only made her regret her decision to rescue him soar. "Listen, I'm not just saving you because your family would appreciate it, but you still need to pay for all the wrong you have done!" she yelled.

"The only wrong I have done…is not killing you when I had the chance," Kylo Ren replied through his pain.

 _Wow what a great thing to say to someone who is here to save you_ Rey angrily thought. Then another jolt nearly knocked Rey over.

Remembering that they were short on time, Rey decided it was time she put her foot down. "Enough! Put away that damn light saber and give me your arm, because in case you didn't notice, this planet is about to blow up," she urged. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. You choose."

As if answering his question for him, the earth gave another jolt causing a loose boulder to roll down a hill and strike Kylo Ren in the head. Rey gasped in shock before quickly running to his side to check for a pulse. Grasping the wrist of the hand that still held his saber, Rey sighed in relief when she felt a weak pulse.

 _Thank the makers we're doing this the easy way_ Rey thought as she reached for his saber and turned it off. After both she and Ren's light sabers were securely fastened to her belt, Rey threw his arm around her shoulder and tried to pull him up. Just when she finally achieved a good grip on Ren, there was another tremor as the nearby chasm began to further widen, simultaneously engulfing her bridge. As the chasm widened in her direction, Rey began to move as fast as her small form could while supporting Kylo Ren. Though hard work as a scavenger had given her some muscle, the earthquakes caused Rey to stumble as she now half carried, half dragged him to safety. Unfortunately after a solid five minutes of this, his weight was too much and she collapsed.

Rey's exhaustion from everything she had experienced that day weighed down on her mind and body as she lay in the snow with an unconscious Kylo Ren half on top of her. Rey felt utterly helpless as she watched the earth's opening approach her and Ren's fallen forms. No matter how quick she could have moved without Kylo Ren slowing her down, she would not leave him. Rey had made a decision, albeit a highly difficult one, and would die trying to get them both off this planet.

Rey clenched her hands and shamefully closed her eyes. _What do I do? I'm just not strong enough…_

With no more ideas she tried to reach out to the force. Though she still knew very little about it, the force had aided her in mysterious ways up until this point. It had given her strength and powers she did not understand, yet strangely she had the ability to command them with ease. Hopefully it could assist her one last time. As Rey tried to take hold of the faint energy that surrounded her she prayed.

 _Please, we just need to get out of here_. _This can't be the end, I just got off Jakku, there is so much more I need… to see._

When nothing answered she was extremely disappointed, and ready to accept her unfortunate end as the chasm moved closer.

 _This is it…_

" _Rey"_ a voice suddenly said.

 _What was that?_ She wondered as her hazel eyes shot open. Rey could have sworn she had just heard a voice, yet no one was there. Then as if to further confuse the young woman the impossible happened.

Where originally no one stood, something seemed to come into existence about ten feet away. It started off as a faint orb of light, but it gradually expanded to form the outline of something. Rey was startled when the outline finally displayed a person, but not just any person, an almost translucent one. His form seemed to glow in the dim light of the forest, bathing Rey and Kylo Ren in a mysterious milky light. As Rey further examined the man, she realized he wore strange robes and a cloak that hung off of his body. He had a scar on the right side of his face, and his hair was slightly wavy like Kylo Ren's, stopping just under his chin. Despite her shock, Rey was not afraid of the ghostly man. In fact, he seemed quite familiar despite the fact she had never seen him before. Though the man's face was mostly devoid of emotion, Rey could tell that something seemed to brew underneath his visage. As to what it was, she had no idea.

"Who are you?" she asked in wonder. Had the force sent this man to save her?

The man just shook his head and turned towards another direction. In one swift motion he raised his hand to point at something buried in the woods. Then he sent one last look at Rey before he entirely disappeared.

Detangling herself from Kylo Ren she rose to her feet. "Wait! Come back!" she cried even though the man had disappeared. She ran over to where he had been previously standing and took note of how his feet had left no marks in the snow. Recalling the direction that the man pointed towards, Rey headed the way he indicated for a few minutes before she stumbled across a speeder bike tucked behind a tree.

"Yes!" she cried as she went about inspecting the speeder. Thankfully is was relatively new and seemed to be in good working condition. _This must have been how Kylo Ren was able to get ahead of us and cut us off_ she realized.

Wasting no time she jumped onto the speeder and sped towards where she had left Ren. Using the last of her strength she pulled him onto the bike and sat behind him to ensure he didn't fall off. Just as chasm opening was about to swallow them up, Rey squeezed the handle bar and the speeder zoomed off into the forest at an incredible speed. If the situation was different Rey may have smiled and laughed. The speeder bike was must faster and swifter than anything back on Jakku. She he had to admit, riding on it was exhilarating.

As Rey dodged more openings in the planet's crust, she had no real idea where to go. As if addressing her concern the ghostlike figure appeared once again pointing in a new direction. Deciding not to think too much into why the strange man returned, Rey turned the speeder to fly in the direction he gestured.

Just when Rey began to wonder whether the man had misguided her this time, she nearly cried in relief when a ship hanger appeared in the distance. Increasing her speed it was only moments before they were safely inside the structure. While most of the hanger had been already vacated, one ship thankfully remained. It was decently sized, polished to perfection, and had two long wings pointing upward. This ship was definitely not junk.

Rey jumped off the speeder and ran towards the underside of the ship. Opening a control panel she hastily messed with it until finally the ramp opened just as another tremor shook the planet. Becoming more worried about the state of the base, she sprinted back to the bike and drove it up the ramp that led into the spaceship. Once inside, she set the bike's settings to link with the ship's gravitational field so that it wouldn't slide all over the place when they were airborne.

The earthquakes increased as Rey ungracefully pulled Ren off of the speeder and dragged him into a corner where she practically dropped him. In her haste she unwound the cloth from around her arms and used it to tie up Kylo Ren's hands and feet as best as she could. Though he could easily dispose of the bonds if he was awake, Rey hoped that his injuries would prevent him from escaping for the time being. Depending on this assumption, she ran into the cockpit and jumped into the pilot's seat.

As Rey quickly flipped switches on she felt the ground shake more violently than ever before.

 _This is bad, really bad!_ Her mind screamed as she continued to turn on the ship. If they didn't leave soon the planet would explode with them still on it! Finally after what felt like hours the go ahead light turned green and Rey quickly pulled back the startup lever. The ship hummed to life and Rey wasted no time as she drove it out of the hanger and onto the runway. Once outside the Rey fumbled with the controls to make it take flight. Unfortunately she had never flown a ship so advanced as this one and it was taking her time to figure out how to control it. Time that she didn't have.

As if on cue the ground opened up beneath the ship and Rey released a yell as she felt herself falling. As the ship fell farther and farther towards the center of the planet, her mechanical reasoning went out the door as she flipped every switch she could find.

"Damn it! Something has to work!" she yelled before randomly slamming a large button. Suddenly the ship gave a sharp lurch and shot up into the air, causing Rey to be thrown from her place.

Rey harshly hit the floor of the cockpit, but she ignored the growing pain in her arm as she flipped over to look out of the window. Hey face broke into a smile as she discovered that the sky was coming closer. "Yes!" Rey cried as she got up and climbed back into the pilot's seat.

However, just when she thought that it would be smooth flying from this point on, an alarm sounded. Rey turned to look at the defense monitor as it lit up and indicated that an immense heat signature was approaching the ship.

 _The planet! It's blowing up!_

It was risky but she had to do it. There was no way the ship could outfly the blast when it was so near. Jumping into light speed when still within a planet's atmosphere was dangerous since the light speed collision sensors were not at their optimal capacity until in space. Basically the ship ran the risk of colliding into something during light speed the second it entered space. If the ship struck something at such a speed, it would be obliterated.

Rey bit her lip and pulled the lever.

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A/N: Hi guys! So yes I have fallen in love with this beautiful ship and like so many other writers I thought I would take a stab at creating my very own Reylo fanfic. If you feel the story has potential, or you have suggestions, feel free to leave a review. Whatever it is please let me know what you guys think. If you guys like my idea I'll keep the chapters coming!


	2. Chapter 2

_I do not own Star Wars_

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As the world outside of the cockpit's window began to stretch and ultimately morph into the cobalt vortex of hyperspace, Rey felt her heart rapidly beating within her chest. The scavenger had experienced a lifetime of danger, especially most recently, but what she was attempting right now was extremely deadly. With the light speed collision sensor slowly coming online, it was up to Rey's judgment to determine when the ship was about to approach an object and hopefully pull it out of light speed in time. The only problem with this plan was that it was practically impossible to predict such an occurrence at the speed she was going. One slip up and Rey and her passenger were dead.

As Rey's face glistened with sweat she firmly grasped the lever, prepared to pull it when the time was right. Then as if an alarm had triggered in her mind, Rey sensed the existence of something and pulled back the lever with all her might. As the ship slowed and escaped hyperspace, Rey's previously anxious face quickly adopted a look horror when she saw what lay ahead. The ship was flying right towards a massive asteroid.

Despite the asteroid's imposing size, Rey knew she couldn't allow her fear to cloud her judgment. She began hastily flipping switches in order to ready the ship for quick maneuvers. With the last switch activated, Rey pulled the ship up just as it was about to collide with the asteroid. However, Rey barely had a moment to breathe before numerous more appeared.

Stuck in an asteroid field, Rey made the ship turn in every which way, but found such maneuvers tough with her current ship compared to the Millennium Falcon. With two large wings to account for, she struggled to protect them from collision. Narrowly scraping past another smaller asteroid, Rey thought she was finally in the all clear when a powerful bang was felt from underneath the ship.

"No!" Rey cried as the ship began to corkscrew through space.

As alarms began to ring, the cockpit's monitor displayed one of the ship's ion engines and the critical state of its power cells. The cells had been damaged to the point that they could no longer safely power the ion engine. As part of the ship's safety features, it had completely shut down one of the engines to ensure that the cells did not explode and further damage the spacecraft. With one engine still working, Rey tried to regain control of the ship, but found it increasingly difficult without the other one to stabilize it.

When the ship finally escaped the asteroid field, Rey slowed the spacecraft to a steady cruise as she turned her worries to the power cells. Unfortunately if they weren't replaced the ship's one working engine would not be enough to channel the hyperdrive when activated. Unable to enter hyperspace therefore severely limited Rey's options regarding where she could travel.

Curious to her present location, Rey checked the cockpit's monitor and found that the ship was currently located in the Outer Rim. Quickly typing in the Ileenium System Rey frowned when the system's advised means of travel included light speed.

 _Now what?_

The scavenger knew it was vital that she reach the Resistance Base in order to hand over Kylo Ren. Despite the fact that she had defeated him, Rey was not so sure things would necessarily go the same way should he heal and regain his strength. With him still incapacitated Rey gained the upper hand, but only for so long. That's why it was important that she find the Resistance as soon as possible. If anyone was equipped enough to handle a dangerous man like Kylo Ren, it was hopefully them.

Once there, she could also inquire about Finn in order to discover whether he hopefully escaped with them, or had been captured by the First Order. If the latter proved true, then she would find and save him. It was the least Rey could due after the ex-stormtrooper had mounted a rescue mission for her sake.

A rough plan in her head, Rey turned her thoughts back to the power cells. The scavenger knew she needed to stop at the nearest habitable planet in order to replace the cells and possibly gain leads pertaining to where in the Ileenium System the Resistance was. In need of a destination, Rey activated the ship's sensors to detect nearby planets that could be traveled to without the aid of light speed. After a few moments of waiting, a nearby planet popped onto the screen.

 _Tatooine huh?_ Rey wondered in interest as she began inputting its coordinates into the ship's navigational system. Spending most of her life on such an isolated planet like Jakku meant that Rey possessed little knowledge about the other worlds that dotted the galaxy. Other than being able to occasionally recognize a planet's name, the scavenger had no idea what kind of life forms and environment were associated with it.

 _I just hope this Tatooine doesn't have a lot of sand._

* * *

After ensuring that the ship was in a stable enough condition, Rey activated the autopilot and left the cockpit to check on Kylo Ren. As she walked through a hallway that lead to where she had left him, Rey struggled to decide what she would do if he was conscious. It was vital that she quickly treat his injuries or else infection would set in. Yet she didn't expect him to patiently sit there as she dressed his wounds.

 _Here goes nothing_ she thought as she rounded a corner.

Rey immediately sighed in relief when she found Kylo Ren still unconscious. As she crouched next to his form Rey discovered that his face seemed even paler than usual as sweat trickled down it. Blood heavily leaked from the gash across his face and his breaths were becoming shallower by the second. Kylo Ren's state was worsening and if she didn't do anything, he would die.

 _But that's what's you want, right?_ An eerie voice spoke within her mind. As it slithered its way through her thoughts Rey felt goose bumps appear on her skin. It was the same one that had urged her to kill Kylo Ren back on Starkiller Base. _He's killed people, he's killed Han, and he may have killed Finn_ it whispered.

Rey frowned at the mysterious voice in her head, yet its claims still grabbed her attention. It had a point. Maybe it was best that she put him down before he caused more misery. With Ren so weak before her all it took was…

 _No, stop it. Why are you even thinking of harming him after you went through so much trouble to save him?_ Rey's mind suddenly protested as if waking up from trance. Fearing what she would do if she remained by Kylo Ren's side, she got up and began to busy her mind by searching for a medkit.

 _What was that voice anyway?_ Rey pondered as she began to open storage containers. _Was it the ghost?_

No. The ghost did not seem spiteful in the way that the voice had been. If anything he seemed to want to help them, which was very confusing. Just who was that man? Why did he appear to her? Was it the force?

 _I guess I'll just have to ask Luke these questions when and "if" I ever meet him._

In the midst of her searching, Rey found a panel and curiously pressed a button. Immediately a door opened revealing a small room. As she stepped inside, Rey noticed that there was a bed on one side of the room while the other half had cabinets displaying the red medical symbol. Opening the cabinets she smiled when she found numerous medkits. Perfect.

Rey returned to Kylo Ren and once again grabbed his arm before trying her best to support him as she made her way to the room. After depositing Ren on the bed, she grabbed a medkit and pulled out some bacta bandages.

 _Time to get to work._

* * *

 _Kylo Ren looked into his father's eyes as they begged him to return with him. As Ren felt tears moisten his cheeks he knew he was losing, losing to the light side. For a moment he questioned everything. What am I doing? Why I am even here? Why did I leave! He had never felt so weak in his entire life as he clutched his light saber in an effort to retain a shred of strength._

 _His saber was his power. Over the years it had made him strong and a force to be reckoned with. Ren had become intoxicated with power whenever he gave life to its crackling plasma blade. By handing it over he was essentially forfeiting the only strength he had ever known. Luke had taught him that the light side was true strength, but even now he doubted the validity of this teaching. By the grace of Snoke's instruction and his experiences with the First Order he knew that what he sought could only be provided for by the dark side. The path to true power meant one was willing to sacrifice anything in order to achieve this goal. Yet something still stood in his way: Han Solo._

 _If he was to squash the light forever in order to become one with the dark side he had to eliminate attachments. Darth Vader had failed because he had let his familial love stand in the way of his mission. Kylo Ren would not make this same mistake as he tried to rightfully live out his legacy._

 _When the base flooded with darkness, Kylo Ren ignited his light saber and guided its power into Han Solo's chest. The tears had long dried as Solo's hand lightly grasped Kylo Ren's face before he fell into the endless pit that lay below the walkway._

 _He had done it! Kylo Ren could finally embrace the dark side in order to reach his full potential. But why did he feel this…ache in his heart?_

 _Kylo Ren fell to his knees as his saber shut off. His strength was extinguished leaving only pain and a hollow feeling of emptiness. He wanted to cry out in anguish, yet he didn't understand why he felt this way. He should be happy, he had passed Snoke's test!_

 _Kylo Ren shook his head as tears threatened to spill from his eyes once more. "Why do I still feel..so…weak!" he yelled._

 _As if to answer him, Han Solo appeared before him. "Because you were a failure to begin with," he replied spitefully. Suddenly everyone Kylo Ren had slaughtered began to surround him. The padawans, the villagers, and the faceless Resistance fighters began to close in on Kylo Ren. It was too much as they whispered angrily around him._

" _Failure!" one spat._

" _Murderer!" another screamed._

 _Then a woman stepped in front of him. She was short with brown hair and equally brown eyes. Though those eyes had usually been filled with happiness and warmth during his childhood, they were cold as ice as she quietly observed him._

" _The greatest disgrace to us all," she calmly said._

 _Feeling his anger begin to burn inside him again, Kylo Ren reached out to the force in order to force choke the woman in front of him. What she had uttered was not, could not, be true. Kylo Ren was far more powerful than she could imagine. Therefore, he would show her the true nature of the dark side._

"Ah!" Rey screamed as an invisible force painfully tightened around her neck. As she struggled to breathe she saw Kylo Ren now awake with his eyes fixed on her writhing form. The anger she found in his eyes was unwavering as he increased the pressure upon her throat.

The pain was becoming too much and tears began to moisten her eyes. "Kylo..Ren…STOP!" she managed to scream despite the black spots that were beginning to appear in her vision. Just when Rey thought she was about to completely lose consciousness, she felt the force let go of her throat and she fell to the floor.

As Rey heavily gasped for air she felt Kylo Ren's eyes upon her once more. "Why have you brought me here?" he simply demanded as he curiously looked around.

"Why have you brought me here? Why have you brought me here! Is that all you can say after you almost _killed_ me!" Rey yelled as she rose to her feet. She felt immense rage as she watched Kylo Ren sitting silently on the bed with an emotionless face.

"If it will calm you, know that I didn't intend to do that," he spoke as if that was enough to ease the residual pain in her throat, or her difficulty breathing.

Rey narrowed her hazel eyes at him. "That's gold coming from someone who previously threatened to kill me. Whether trying to hurt me was your intention or not, I really don't care, I'm just glad to see this is the gratitude I get for saving your life," she spat before storming out of the room.

Kylo Ren tried to maintain his own anger as he watched the girl, what was her name? Oh right, Rey, leave him as if she couldn't bear to spend another moment with him. Then again he couldn't exactly blame her, even though it wasn't really his fault that his dream had transferred into reality. Regardless it was better she stay away from him anyway. It was because of Rey Kylo Ren had lost his master's favor.

If he had been harder on her, more menacing, then perhaps the Knight of Ren could have gained the information he needed and disposed of her before complications could arise. Yet something about her spoke to him from the moment he laid eyes on her on Takodana. When Kylo Ren first reached into Rey's unsuspecting mind he saw immense loneliness and pain that he was unfortunately familiar with. He saw himself in her and this realization had blinded him. Kylo Ren had broken his master's first teaching: do not let sentiment get in the way.

Rey had made him momentarily soft, but he would not allow her to do this again. He was Kylo Ren of the Knights of Ren, a powerful warrior who worked under the influence of the dark side in order to bring about order in the galaxy. Not a weakling like Ben Solo who lost his edge just because he met a girl that shared his inner turmoil.

Reaffirmed of his mission, Kylo Ren once again began to study the room and was surprised when he realized that this was his command shuttle's medical room. Feeling an unfamiliar coolness touch his chest he looked down and discovered that his shirt was gone and numerous bandages were wrapped around his shoulder and his lower torso. As Kylo Ren tentatively touched his face he realized that the gash was also bandaged up too.

Kylo Ren almost allowed himself to feel grateful to Rey for treating his wounds when he recalled who had given them to him.

 _Yes my father's Wookiee companion, the traitor, and Rey herself_ he angrily thought. Hitting his side he allowed the pain to remind him of what the Resistance had done to him.

It was only a matter of time before the bacta completely healed his wounds, and when it did, Kylo Ren would be ready to make his move. If Rey thought she could drag him back to the Resistance she was sorely mistaken. When the time was right he would return to the First Order and present Rey to Snoke like he had commanded.

Kylo Ren would earn back his master's favor, and then the lingering weakness he felt would disappear for good.

* * *

A/N: Hey so I'm sorry there wasn't a whole lot of dialogue in this, but I promise there will be more interaction between Rey and Kylo Ren in the next chapter. Now unlike a lot of fanfictions I want to emphasize that in this story neither Kylo Ren nor Rey experienced "love at first sight" when they first met. In The Force Awakens novelization Rey actually describes Kylo Ren's face as rather unremarkable and it doesn't exactly take her breath away. In Kylo Ren's case I feel like because he identified with her it was more difficult for him to harm her, not because he was stricken with love or lust. This is not to say these feelings can't turn into something more in the next movies, but they're a start!

Anyway thank you to Siilver Phantom, WhiteWraith, John Ryan, booklover457, crystalstars88, Vin Venture12, CalistaLegaci, and River Fox for your kind reviews! I read every one of them and I really appreciate the insightful feedback!

Please continue to review my story. Nothing gets me pumped to sit down and write like what you guys have to say! :D

Also thank you to all of you who decided to favorite and follow my story! It really means a lot to me!

My the force be with you.


	3. Chapter 3

_I do not own Star Wars_

* * *

Hours after the incident with Kylo Ren, Rey sat in the pilot's seat as she quietly observed the numerous stars that sat within the wide expanse of space. When she was a small girl, Rey would climb out of her cramped home in order to lie in the cooled sand, and gaze at the mysterious majesty that was the night sky. As the stars twinkled down on her, the scavenger used to imagine one falling to Jakku and it turning out to be her family's ship. For years the night sky had filled her with a resilient hope that things would get better. Rey would wear this belief around her like a blanket that warmed her during the chilly desert nights.

Now as she observed the stars, she did not feel the comfort she had sought. Just what was Rey doing anyway?

 _I was crazy to think I could easily handle Kylo Ren on my own_ she realized.

At this thought, Rey tentatively touched the tender skin of her neck. Even in his injurious and bound state, Ren had managed to command the force to hurt her. The scavenger felt silly for believing that his weakened form would be enough to placate him until they reached the Resistance. However, despite how powerful he was, Rey did not fear him.

If Rey was fearful to begin with, she would have never have saved him and treated his wounds. No, what Rey felt was not fear, but an increasing determination to deliver Ren to the Resistance. If anything, his actions only fueled her drive to personally ensure that he was locked away in a cell. Only then would she be able to sleep at night knowing that the galaxy was safe from this monster. If Kylo Ren thought force choking her would be enough to scare her, he was mistaken.

From this point on Rey would tread lightly around him, and as a last resort, use the light saber that hung off of her belt. He was a tough character to read, and for that reason, Rey knew she had to accept his every action as dangerous like the man behind it.

* * *

While Rey's hand hovered over the button that opened the door to Kylo Ren's room, her other carefully balanced a tray of rations and a small container of water that she had found earlier. It had been quite some time since he had woken up, so the scavenger figured that he must have been hungry by now. Therefore, she had put together a small meal for him. A docile prisoner or not, Rey still had to unfortunately keep him alive.

 _Here goes nothing_ Rey thought as she finally pressed the button to open the door. Slipping inside the room she visibly frowned when she realized that Kylo Ren wasn't unconscious this time. He sat on the bed with his back against the wall as he quietly observed her. If anything, Ren looked like he was expecting her.

"I see you've finally worked up the confidence to see me again," he slowly stated. "Although I can sense that you're still anxious".

One minute in the room and he was already baiting her. "If you think I'm afraid of you after that stunt you pulled, you're mistaken. You seem to forget that I'm stronger than I look," Rey replied while gesturing to his face. Kylo Ren's eyes darkened at her comment.

"One victory and you think you are suddenly more powerful than me? Be careful that your overconfidence in your newfound abilities doesn't blind you as to why you really defeated me," Ren cautioned.

"Yeah? Then what was it exactly?" she halfheartedly asked.

Kylo Ren's expression gave little away. "If you're as capable as you claim to be, you should have no problem figuring it out yourself," he swiftly replied.

Rey frowned at Kylo Ren. _Stop it Rey, he's just trying to mess with you. He's trying to discover a weakness and exploit it. Don't let him bother you._

By the way the Ren was calmly observing her, she had a sinking suspicion that he already knew he had succeeded.

"I see you've brought something with you?" he stated, breaking the silence.

Rey looked down at the tray in her hands. "Yes well I couldn't let you go hungry. You're _my_ guest now," she explained with a smirk.

"Well as your _guest_ I'm flattered that you also went through all the trouble of also tying me up," he said while lifting his bound hands.

"I was only returning the courtesy you gave me when I was _your_ guest. Although I think I'm the better host considering I prepared a meal for you," Rey said as she placed the tray on the bed next to him.

"Sorry, I'm afraid the food at Starkiller Base wasn't worth the trouble. However, now I'm beginning to regret not feeding you. Maybe then you might have talked. It's understandable considering a quick probe into your mind taught me that scavengers like you eat nothing but scraps."

"Well believe it or not, not all of us are willing to murder others just to gain a warm meal from The First Order," Rey countered.

"I can assure you, I joined The First Order for reasons a naïve girl like you would never understand," Kylo answered, his voice laced with anger.

"What was it? Power? Wealth? Prestige?" she challenged despite the dangerous look Ren was sending her. "What could possibly make you so devoted to the First Order that you would _kill_ your own father?"

"You know nothing of my past!" Kylo Ren spat. "You think Han Solo was the ideal father? He was a thief! Nothing more, nothing less!"

No matter what Ren said about Han Solo, Rey knew that it wasn't true. Yes he was a smuggler and not exactly the most trustworthy man to make a deal with, yet she knew that he loved his son until the very end. As Rey had watched Han Solo in his final moments, she saw the way he looked at Kylo Ren. Solo didn't see the monster he had become, only the soul of his son in need of rescuing.

If Rey was being honest with herself, she had even believed that Ren was worth saving at one point. Her momentary glimpse into his mind had revealed that he was actually a very confused young man. Kylo Ren had ideals and a dark legacy he wanted to fulfill, yet Rey had sensed hesitation regarding these thoughts. When he handed his saber over to Han, Rey had been relieved that he made the right decision. Yet clearly she had misjudged him when he plunged it right into his father.

Rey clenched her fists in anger. "He loved you, yet you killed him! He wasn't just some smuggler, he was you _father_ ," she said, her voice about to break. She couldn't even remember what her father looked like, and yet, Ren had killed his own as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Well sometimes having no father is better than one that didn't truly care about you," Ren angrily declared just as Rey's head began to ache with pain.

 _Wait a second, where did this pain come from?_ She curiously wondered. Rey vaguely recalled feeling a similar way when Kylo Ren first reached into her thoughts. _Did he….just read my mind again!_

"Get. Out. Of. My. Head!" Rey exclaimed when she caught on to what he was doing. Filled with rage, Rey stared pointedly at Ren. Within moments of doing this, the room strangely melted away to form unfamiliar images in her head.

 _A small dark haired boy was clinging to Han Solo's legs as he tried to board the Millennium Falcon. Meanwhile in the background a hooded man and a group children watched the exchange from a respectful distance._

" _Daddy please don't leave me!" he cried on the verge of tears._

 _Han sighed before kneeling down in front of the boy and taking his small hands within his large ones. "Ben you're mother has already explained. It's for your own good. Don't you want to be able to control the force?" Han questioned._

" _Yes…but I don't want to leave you," the boy replied his voice cracking._

" _Kid, sometimes we don't want to do things, but that's life. You have to realize that your mother and I can't help you to become a Jedi, only Luke can. That's why you need to stay here with him. I know you don't see it right now, but we're only doing this because it's what's best for you-"_

" _I don't care! I don't want to be a Jedi if it means I won't get to see you!" the boy exclaimed, the tears now freely rolling down his face._

 _Han shook his head and lightly grasped his son's tear stained cheek. "Ben you have to be strong. You can't spend the rest of your life hiding behind your parents because you're scared," he explained._

" _I'm not scared daddy. I just don't want to lose you-_

"Get out!" Kylo Ren yelled as he finally managed to completely push Rey out of his head.

Now back in the room, Rey felt extreme shock when she realized what she had just done. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to-" she lamely began.

"Just get out!" he exclaimed, his eyes burning with something she couldn't quite identify.

"I didn't-"

"Go!" he demanded.

"But I-"

"Leave me alone!"

Wishing to no longer upset him, Rey quickly fled from the room and shut the door behind her. Once it was closed, she leaned against it and slid to the floor. What she had seen…what she had done…was…

 _Horrible_ her mind spat. Letting rage control her actions and using the force to pry into Kylo Ren's thoughts was a disgraceful thing to. How it even happened, she wasn't so sure. All Rey knew was that she had made a terrible mistake.

 _What have I done?_ She shamefully wondered as crashing sounds were heard from within Kylo Ren's room.

* * *

A/N: Uh oh, it looks like Rey's starting to get a taste of the dark side! I wonder what will happen now? Bigger question is: Will Kylo Ren ever stop breaking stuff every time he gets frustrated? Anyway, sorry this was a little short, but I just had to get another chapter up for you guys. As always please let me know what you think!

Also thank you to WeasleyLover123, bluejustice13, Siilver Phantom, CalistaLegaci, christos200, and Yarik for reviewing!


	4. Chapter 4

_I do not own Star Wars_

* * *

As Kylo Ren sat in the midst of the ruin he caused, he took deep breaths. He hadn't been able to bring about as much damage as he usually did (that with him being tied up and saber-less), yet he still felt his inner calm returning. Snoke had taught Ren that to embrace his anger was to embrace the dark side. However, he often carried so much anger within him that it was difficult to maintain a clear mind until he let it out.

" _Release your anger,"_ Snoke had taught his pupil, " _Then let its residual existence burn within you so that you may now take a calm approach to your objective_."

Continuing to release steady breaths, Kylo Ren let his anger simmer within him as he considered Rey's earlier actions. When the girl had angrily probed into his mind, she had done more than simply glance into one of his oldest memories. Somehow, the scavenger had also caused him to relive it all over again. All the emotions he had felt in that moment came flooding back to him, overwhelming his senses. Sadness, confusion, and the beginnings of immense anger were present as he watched the exchange between Han and a young Ben Solo.

 _I'm no longer that dependent child,_ Ren firmly told himself as he tried to subdue the lingering feelings of abandonment.

 _What happened in the past doesn't matter because I killed that man._

Unfortunately at this thought, Kylo Ren felt the internal ache from his dream return. As it began to gradually increase in intensity, the Knight of Ren started to panic. Realizing that his emotions were beginning to affect him, Ren harshly punched his injured shoulder.

 _Whatever I felt for Han Solo died with Ben when I destroyed him_ he repeated in his head as his shoulder pulsed with pain. As the throbbing began to renew his sense of self, the ache thankfully faded away.

If Rey thought she could evoke guilt from within him by drawing that memory from his mind, she clearly didn't understand that he no longer held onto sentimental attachments. Foolish concepts like family and love did not dwell in the dark side. Therefore, they held little meaning to him.

Ren had to admit though, what she did was surprising and almost manipulative. He had sensed Rey's anger and was even more amazed when she let it guide her actions. What she did was something more commonly observed in those practicing the dark side of the force, like himself. Perhaps the little scavenger wasn't as filled with light as she assumed?

Regardless, Kylo Ren was still infuriated with her for thinking she could have her way with him. By exploring his mind, tying him up, and locking him in a room, Rey probably felt high and mighty. Just because Ren was restrained did not mean he was harmless, as he had accidently demonstrated beforehand. If he wished, he could probably even escape his bindings and take control of the vessel. The problem with this plan was that Kylo Ren had no idea how to pilot the ship, despite it being his. Even if Ren managed to render Rey unconscious and send a distress signal to the First Order, he would be left in charge of it. If something was to happen to it in the time it took for rescue, Kylo wouldn't know what to do.

Therefore he had to play the part of a good prisoner and wait until they landed somewhere. Then he would escape from Rey and contact the First Order. Once they arrived the girl wouldn't stand a chance against their numbers.

 _In the meantime, I can discover whether that scavenger truly carries more of the dark side then she would like to admit._

* * *

As Rey walked down the hallway towards Kylo Ren's room, her steps remained steady, yet her mind was in a frenzy.

Ever since Rey had accidently pried into his mind, she had felt disgusted with herself. No matter how evil her prisoner was, she had no right to draw out such a painful memory. When she had first reached into Ren's mind on Starkiller she had done so unknowingly. If anything it was a defense mechanism against his own mind infiltration. However, what Rey had done seemed to emerge from her anger. She could have walked away after Kylo read her thoughts, she wasn't his prisoner, yet she didn't.

And that's what bothered her.

Despite how wrongful it was of her to invade his memories, Rey was also stunned by what she found. She knew things were rough between Han and Kylo, but she never imagined that his hate for him stemmed from his father leaving him behind somewhere.

Rey knew firsthand the pain of being left alone. To live every day with the hope that your family would return turned life into a horrible waiting game. She couldn't appreciate the small things in life because she held onto the belief that it had the potential to be so much more, so much better. However, unlike Kylo Ren, Rey had not let her feelings of loneliness turn her towards the dark side.

 _We all make decisions_ she decided. _Bad experiences don't necessarily have to make bad people_.

Witnessing Ben Solo for the first time had also disturbed her. To think that such an innocent child would grow up to kill his own father was difficult to process. When Ben had begged his father not to leave, his young gaze had been so earnest, loving, and full of light that for the first time Rey genuinely feared the power of the dark side. If it could corrupt someone like Ben, it could just as easily corrupt her. Yet even if she was to be somehow seduced by the dark side (Makers forbid) she couldn't imagine it being so easy to let go of the light. Maybe there was still light inside of Ren? Maybe Ben Solo still existed, hiding behind the invented persona of Kylo Ren?

 _I guess I'll just have to wait and see_ she concluded.

When she opened the door to Kylo Ren's room, Rey did not look at him as she walked in and opened a cabinet. Without uttering a word, she rummaged around inside of it until she found what she was looking for. With a medkit now in her hands, she made her way towards Ren in order to re-bandage his wounds. As Rey walked she was careful to sidestep the tray from yesterday and its contents, along with the bed's blanket and pillow. Kylo Ren had made quite the mess.

Despite her approach, the Knight of Ren did nothing to acknowledge Rey. For some reason, he sat on the bed with his legs crossed and eyes closed. Even when Rey was standing right next to the bed he continued his strange behavior.

 _Is he doing some weird dark side meditation or something?_ She curiously wondered. It was strange to see him so calm after the way he acted yesterday.

"Eh hem," Rey grunted, trying to get his attention.

Nothing.

"Ren?"

Still nothing.

She sighed. Rey didn't have time to deal with his stubbornness when she could be checking navigational charts instead of playing nurse to him. "Listen, I'm so-"

"There is no need to apologize," he said suddenly, cutting her off. After Kylo Ren said this, he finally opened his eyes to look at her. "You shouldn't feel sorry for letting the dark side influence your actions," he calmly stated.

"The dark side…? What I did wasn't intentional. As far as I could tell it wasn't _fueled by the dark side_ ," Rey defensively explained.

"The anger, the hate you felt toward me. I sensed it, and I know you did too. There's no need to deny it. In fact, you should embrace it, like I did," Ren stated.

After hearing his strange words, Rey couldn't help comparing the young Ben Solo to the killer in front of her. The eyes of Kylo Ren were intense, but also spoke of emptiness. They were a ghost of what they once were: bright and emotional. Rey shivered when she imagined the dark side altering herself in such a way. No matter what he said, Rey would never allow such a thing to happen.

"I admit, I may have been angry, but that doesn't mean I should embrace how I felt," she began. "Anger and hate may be powerful, but they also have the ability to erode away who you once were," she asserted.

Ren's dark eyes narrowed when he realized that she was referring to him. "The dark side doesn't destroy who you were, it turns you into who you were meant to be from the beginning," he spat.

Rey quietly studied Ren, looking for something that would give away what he was currently feeling. "And is Kylo Ren who you were meant to be?" she finally asked.

When she presented this question, something instantaneously appeared in his eyes before it disappeared behind a mask of indifference. It was so quick that Rey had almost missed it, but she saw it. Unfortunately it was something she was far too familiar, making it easily recognizable in others.

Doubt.

"Of course," he answered evenly.

Bang!

The medkit went flying out of Rey's hands and she was violently thrown on top of Kylo Ren.

"Oof!" they both huffed once they landed in a heap of tangled limbs on the bed.

Mortified that she was currently sprawled across her enemy, Rey haphazardly attempted to detangle herself from him. In order to accomplish this, she clumsily grabbed his shoulder for support. This caused Ren to painfully gasp.

"What are you doing!?" Rey cried in surprise, looking down at him. "If this is some escape attempt, you used the force to push me the wrong way!"

Ren's face contorted in discomfort, as her hand still pressed into his wound. "I…didn't do…anything!" he hissed in discomfort.

Rey frantically looked around to see if someone else had pushed her, but found the room empty. "Then what was-OW!" she yelled when another jolt caused her forehead to slam into Kylo's bandaged one.

"Ughh," Ren moaned as his palm reached up to grasp the pulsating wound on his face. "For Snoke's sake!" he angrily began. "Get off of-mmmh!" his voice was muffled when Rey quickly slapped her hand over his mouth.

"Shhh! I hear something!" she whispered as she continued to lie on top of Kylo Ren.

"Wow, will you look at this ship," a sudden voice said. Rey's head snapped up to look at the door that separated her and the strange voice.

"Sure is nice," another voice added.

Rey's eyes widened at hearing the unfamiliar voices. _Who are these people?_ She wondered. _How did they get on the ship?_

Even Kylo Ren seemed interested despite Rey's hand still glued to his mouth, and her body crushing his wounds.

"Boss sure is gonna love this," the first voiced said.

"Tell me about it. I just wonder where the pilot and crew is?"

"Probably escaped in a pod the second they saw us coming. It's not like they could have escaped us with one engine working," the first voice snickered.

Based on the way the voice was regarding itself, whoever these people were clearly thought that they were a force to be reckoned with. Rey had experienced enough people like this on Jakku in order to understand what it meant: these guys were trouble. Slowly Rey turned back to face Kylo Ren. "I'm going to go see who those people are," she whispered. "Whatever you do, don't make any noise, okay?"

He nodded.

Finally, Rey removed her hand from his mouth and peeled herself off of him. With a swiftness that even Ren did not possess, she made her way to the door before waiting. When the footsteps were finally heard moving away, she quietly slipped out into the hallway.

Once Ren was sure she was gone, he allowed himself a moment to smile. Rey falling onto him may have been painful and not his doing, yet he made sure to take advantage of the situation.

 _It's good to have you back_ Ren thought as he held his beloved light saber in his hand. While Rey had been worrying about the voices, he had carefully unclipped it from her belt.

Whoever these strangers were, he didn't really care. Kylo Ren was just immensely pleased with the turn of events. His unique weapon would ensure that these intruders delivered both Rey and himself to the First Order.

 _Looks like I won't have to wait until we land after all,_ he smugly thought.

* * *

A/N: I wonder who these people are? Guess we'll just have to find out in next chapter! Make sure to let me know what you think of my story.

Thanks to bluejustice13, megumisakura, marvelgirl03, daughterofthesun, Shippooliver, Colibrii, Siilver Phantom, and the guest to the site for reviewing!


	5. Chapter 5

_I do not own Stars Wars_

* * *

As Rey carefully moved down the hallway, she ensured that her every step was quiet enough that the consistent hum of the ship completely erased her audible presence. Meanwhile, her hand was loosely resting on the light saber that hung off her belt. Despite it being the only weapon she currently possessed (other than Ren's saber supposedly still on her belt), its smooth, metallic hilt and plasma blade were both mysterious and foreign to her.

She had found wielding it extremely dangerous considering a small slip was all it took for her hand to be severed from her arm. When she fought Kylo Ren, she had spent nearly half the battle ensuring that her hand was a safe distance from the laser. The scavenger also disliked how its reach did not match that of her staff from Jakku. This meant she had to get very close to her opponent, which was something she had little experience doing. Rey might have been able to miraculously defeat Kylo Ren wielding it, yet she greatly missed the familiarity and ease of using her former weapon. Regardless, she would once again utilize it if faced with danger.

In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, the scavenger knew it was more probable to silently locate the hijackers before they became aware of her presence. It would be foolish to activate her rather loud light saber and tactlessly attack the intruders without knowing their numbers, or who they even were.

 _Regardless, I'm already outnumbered_ Rey thought as she tightened her grip on the light saber's hilt.

Despite the situation not exactly being in her favor, she did have some experience handling multiple opponents. Rey just hoped that whoever these people were, their skills did not exceed the unrefined fighting techniques of the scavengers back on Jakku. On the other hand, if the hijackers happened to be crazy, force wielding, First Order murderers like Kylo Ren, she might be in trouble.

The ship may have been a decent size, yet there weren't exactly too many places the invaders could be. The vessel was a simple shuttle, not a hefty cargo freighter or a star destroyer. That meant there were only a two places they could have infiltrated the ship. Considering they were in space, it was impossible to open the ramp, so that left the airlock. With no better leads, Rey decided she would investigate their point of entry.

As she neared the corner that would lead into the airlock room, Rey pressed her back against the wall and slid towards the entryway. Standing next to the room's opening, she carefully listened for the slightest whisper or footstep.

After a few minutes of complete silence, Rey began to wonder if there was anyone in the room. Maybe the intruders were elsewhere on the ship? Risking a quick peek, Rey's thoughts were confirmed when she found no one there. The only point of interest was the currently opened airlock door.

 _They must have connected their ship. If not, the airlock wouldn't be carelessly open, and I would probably be in space by now_ she observed.

With no threats in sight, Rey walked into the room and approached the airlock entrance. She curiously peered through the pressurized doorway and found a long walkway connected to the vacuum entryway.

Rey sighed. _The bang we felt earlier must have been from their ship attaching to ours_ she realized. At this thought she frowned and grasped her now bruised forehead.

As the scavenger studied the old walkway, she wondered if the hijackers had momentarily returned to their ship. If that was the case, then maybe she could forcibly command the airlock to close. With the connection between the ships gone, Rey could attempt to pilot the ship to safety. However, the hyperdrive still wouldn't work and there was only one engine running. Evading the newcomer's pursuit would be difficult, if not impossible. Yet she still had to try.

Rey turned to access the airlock's control panel, but when she tapped a button its screen was red and…

 _Offline! Damn it! They were able to override the ship's systems!_

The only way she could forcibly close the airlock now was if she personally disabled the override. Only problem was, that meant she had to sneak onto their ship.

Rey looked down the long walkway once more, but could not see what lay on the other side due to its dim lighting. All she saw was a darkness that could very well be concealing enemies with their blasters ready. The moment she stepped onto the walkway, was the moment she possibly stepped in front of a firing squad.

" _Don't be afraid, Rey…"_ a strange voice whispered.

Rey's almost jumped in surprise when she heard the voice speak. She activated her light saber and frantically looked around thinking it was one of the hijackers who had spoken. However, her search told her that the room was as desolate as before. Turning off her light saber, Rey simply stood there confused, dazed even. Then suddenly, the uncertainty she felt was chased away by recognition. _That voice, it's the voice I heard in the forest. It was the voice of that…_

The ghost unexpectedly materialized on the walkway, its eerie glow chasing away the darkness. He appeared exactly how she remembered, clad in his strange robes and an unreadable visage. They both watched each other closely, Rey daring not to speak in fear that he would disappear again without answering her questions.

This time he did not direct her towards some unknowable destination. Rey already knew where she needed to be. The ghost gave a gentle nod as if aware of this. It almost seemed like he was encouraging her. Then just like in the forest, his form began to dissolve once more.

"No, wait!" she cried. Yet it was no use, before long he had returned to the nothingness from which he came. As a result of this, the walkway was once again bathed in darkness.

Realizing that he wasn't coming back, Rey tried to shake off her disappointment and focus on the task at hand. _Well the ghost never let me down before, so I guess it's safe to assume no one's going to kill me when I reach the other side,_ Rey thought as she stepped forward and began to cross the walkway. She hadn't gotten answers from him this time, but hopefully, when in a less dangerous situation, they would meet again. They just had to. The scavenger needed to understand why he was guiding her, and most of all, who he was.

When Rey finally stepped onto the intruder's ship, she took note of its rusted floors and the loose wires that hung from the ceiling. Some of circuitry wasn't even covered as it clung to the aged walls. Every so often Rey would cringe when she ducked under wires or pipes crudely taped together. The ship could have been older than the Millennium Falcon for all she knew.

 _This piece of junk was able to override my ship?_ She wondered.

"Yeah, so as I was saying. I reckon this ship is First Order," an approaching voice said.

Hearing the voice come from just around the corner, Rey panicked and looked around for a place to hide. She attempted to pull the floor grates up, but they wouldn't budge like on the Millennium Falcon or Han's smuggling ship. Giving up, she desperately looked around for the next best thing. Rey had almost decided to sprint back to her ship when an odd feeling told her to look at the ceiling.

 _Perfect, an air vent!_

Fortunately this ship wasn't immaculate like the First Order shuttle, and had crates scattered about the hallway. Rey hopped onto one directly underneath the vent and tentatively pushed the air grate to test how secure it was. She smiled in relief when it loosely slid out of its place. She proceeded to completely push it inside of the vent until there was an opening large enough for her to climb through. Using her scavenger skills she pulled herself up into the vent and quickly slid the grate back in place just as the intruders arrived.

"We can't get too excited. It might be one of those refurbished imperial shuttles. It's hard to tell the difference these days," one of the figures sighed. Rey eyes widened when she realized that these people were the speakers from before. Unfortunately, she couldn't get a good look at them with the grate in the way.

"Even better! Vintage is in! I'm tellin ya!" the first voice cheered.

"Only if you have the right buyer though!" the other voice argued.

 _Who are these people, ship sellers or something?_ she pondered. _The second voice does have a point though, modern ships always sell better._

Eventually their bickering diminished once the hijackers crossed the walkway to return to her ship.

 _I just hope they don't find Kylo Ren_ Rey thought as she recalled how she left the force user alone.

 _The doors locked anyway_ she reminded herself as she began to crawl through the air shaft. _As long as he's silent and remains in his room until I return, everything should be fine._

* * *

Kylo Ren stretched his wrists now that they were no longer uncomfortably bound by the Jakku girl's gauzy cloth. Thanks to his light saber, what was left of it existed as a charred pile of fabric by his feet. Free of his restraints, Ren practiced a figure 8 with his saber and relished in the way it crimson blade sparked and crackled with power. Though the action was far more painful than usual, he allowed the pain to seep into his inner being and kindle his drive.

He had missed the way his self-constructed weapon comfortably fit within his palm as executed the forms the Supreme Leader had entrusted him with. Whatever happened, he would not disappoint his Master again. No matter the shape he was in, it was time Kylo Ren quit playing prisoner and finally took control of the situation.

With his objective in mind, Ren shut off his light saber and began to search the room's cabinets for the rest of clothing. He couldn't exactly allow his enemies know that his chest was heavily bandaged, therefore displaying his weak points. As for his face, well, he would never let anyone get that close to him ever again.

Ren was beginning to lose his patience every time he opened a cabinet and was met with medkits and other supplies. He couldn't imagine Rey taking it elsewhere and locking it away. It had to be in the room somewhere.

Tearing open the last cabinet, he was immensely pleased when he finally found his dark clothing neatly folded on a shelf. Ren wasted no time as he threw on his long-sleeved shirt, surcoat, belt, gloves, and hooded cape. In order to hide his bandaged face he placed his hood over his raven hair. Ren's clothing had a few scorch marks and holes here and there, but he would have to make do with them until he returned to the First Order. Dressed in his familiar garb that distinguished him as a proud Knight of Ren, Kylo Ren felt his authority return to him.

 _Now to get out of here._

Just as he expected, the door was locked, but that could easily be solved. Ren stabbed his light saber through the metal door and drew its plasma blade through it like a knife through butter. His saber's path was closely followed by an incandescent line of molten metal that destroyed the door's smooth surface. Before long he cut out an opening large enough for him to walk through.

Finally free of the small room, Kylo Ren strode down the hallway, eager to encounter the ship's guests. The sooner he found them, the sooner he could have his light saber pointed at their necks as he made his demands. However the walking was making his injured side burn. Ren clenched his teeth and reminded himself to embrace the pain, but the task was becoming more difficult by the second.

As he neared a corner, he suddenly stopped when he heard the voices from before. This time they seemed to be quarreling.

"Enough! I don't care what you think! Old ships will always have a classic charm!" a nearby voice exclaimed.

"Is that why we fly around space in that crappy ship then?" another asked sarcastically.

"Don't you call my baby crap!"

Before they could round the corner, Kylo Ren activated his light saber and tried to stand up straight despite the pain he was experiencing. Part of his superiority in battle was attributed to the fear he instilled in his victims. He may have been lacking his imposing mask, but he would still demonstrate his commanding aura.

"Well that's what it-who the heck is this!" a young man with short brown hair yelled once he rounded the corner.

A second man who looked identical to him pulled his blaster out. "It doesn't matter! Shoot him!" he cried as several shots were issued from his weapon.

Kylo Ren twirled his light saber as he easily deflected the shots, but painfully grunted when the motion further tore at his side.

"What's wrong?" one of the men taunted. "Having a little trouble?"

Both the men increased the rate of their shots, leaving Kylo Ren more winded than usual as he tried to catch their barrage with his weapon.

Realizing he couldn't keep this up, he raised his left hand.

"Enough!" he yelled and force threw the men onto the floor.

Though they landed roughly, it wasn't powerful enough to knock them out. Kylo Ren slowly moved towards them, trying hard not to grab his side and collapse. When they weakly lifted their weapons once more, Ren flicked his wrist and their blasters flew out of their now trembling hands.

"Listen, we didn't mean to try to kill you!"

The other man quickly nodded. "Yeah, it was just a big misunderstanding!" he added.

Ren brought his unstable light saber close to their faces. They pitifully tried to duck away from it and raise their hands in surrender. The fight had been more work than usual, but in the end he knew he would triumph. Two weaklings didn't stand a chance against a Knight of-

"When will you learn boys," a light voice suddenly stated.

There was a powerful kick to Kylo Ren's injured side and he painfully fell on the floor. When he landed, his light saber shut off and slipped out of his hand. The Knight of Ren hissed in discomfort and weakly grasped at his side.

"Always wait for me before you get the party started," a woman admonished as she ripped something off of her belt.

With Kylo Ren helplessly lying down and momentarily distracted by his injury, the mysterious woman firmly grasped one of his wrists and snapped something around it.

In a fit of rage he tried to lunge at the smirking woman, but she hit a button on her belt. What Ren felt next was worse than the agony of his combined injuries.

His body convulsed with an electric shock so powerful he wondered if he would even survive. It felt like a thousand needles were tirelessly impaling his muscles all at once. Snoke had taught him how to endure pain, but what he was experiencing was far too much. Kylo Ren tried so hard not the scream, to not appear weak, that he bit his lip until he tasted the metallic flavor of his own blood.

The woman placed her hands on her hips and watched Ren writhe on the floor. "Well it looks like we got ourselves a tough guy," she observed. She then mercifully hit the button again, shutting off the electricity.

The moment he was released from his torment, Kylo Ren began to heavily pant as sweat dripped down his face and stung his eyes. Meanwhile the woman simply looked at him as if he was the most pathetic creature she had ever witnessed.

 _How dare she!_ His mind spat in rage. If Ren had the strength, he would have used his light saber to strike her down.

"That'll teach you for trying to hurt my little brothers," she stated. "Now unless you want to be electrocuted again by that little cuff around your wrist, I suggest you be a good prisoner".

Hatred boiled in Kylo Ren's dark eyes as he looked at the dark haired woman smirking down at him.

"Rigil, Regulus!" she called.

"Yes sister!" the twins replied from there place on the floor.

"Grab him and bring him back to our ship," she instructed.

"Of course Almari!" the man, Rigil replied.

As Kylo Ren felt the two dimwits he had defeated earlier grab hold of his arms, he didn't even have the power to fight back. He tried to use the force, but his head became clouded and pulsated from a growing headache. Ren was tired beyond belief and was almost completely limp as they dragged him down the hallway.

He tightly closed his eyes in frustration.

This was not how his plan was supposed to go.

* * *

Rey moved through the air shaft at a good pace, thankful for her slim frame. Whenever she encountered an air grate, she would peek through it to see if there was anyone in the room. If the coast was clear, she would then remove it completely in order to discern whether she found the control room. Unfortunately she had not found it yet and was beginning to worry that if she didn't hurry the hijackers would discover Kylo Ren.

 _I don't even know who should be more afraid of the other, the intruders or Kylo Ren._ Rey then imagined the imposing First Order sympathizer and his signature scowl. _Yeah…they probably wouldn't like Ren if they found him._

As far as she could tell, there only seemed to be two people who had hijacked the ship. Practically all of the rooms on their vessel were empty, so that had to be the case. Lucky for her it meant that she was in less danger of being spotted as she went about her search.

Rey reached another air grate and just like the numerous times before, she glanced through its rusted metal bars to get a good look at the room that lay below. Thankfully, there seemed to be no one there, so she grasped the grate and pulled it up and out of the way. With an unobstructed view of the room, Rey found it to be filled with numerous screens and control boards.

 _This is it._

Like a nimble animal, she leapt from the air vent and landed soundlessly on a chair before finally stepping onto the floor. Once Rey was standing in front of the control panel, she began to quickly type on the keyboard in order to navigate her way through the different system settings.

 _Hygiene System. No. Engine System. No._

Rey fingers continued to tirelessly click against the keys.

 _Override System. Yes!_ She mentally cheered as she pulled up its commands.

 _Now all I have to do is-_

"Come on! In here!" Rey suddenly heard one of the voices from earlier speak from down the hall.

Her hazel eyes anxiously looked at the monitor, then back to the door. Everything she needed to disable the override was right in front of her, and yet, she didn't know if she would have enough time. Indecision paralyzed Rey as she lamely stood in front of the control board.

As the steps grew louder, she knew she was running out of time. Any moment now she would be discovered. Biting back her willingness to finish her job, Rey swiftly climbed onto the chair before leaping back into the air vent. Just like before she secured the grate in place just as the figures entered the vicinity.

"Careful now, we wouldn't want to hurt the prisoner," one of the figures laughed as he and the other person carelessly dragged something into the room.

 _Wait. Did he just say prisoner?_

Rey tried desperately to make at who the third person was, but she couldn't see properly through the grate.

"I don't even think that's possible!" the second person replied. "Alrami did quite a number on him. I'm surprised she let the poor bastard live."

"Well just because we're pirates for the Hutts doesn't mean we can't dabble in their other industries. They're always willing to offer credits for slaves."

 _The Hutts?_ Rey wondered. She knew that Niima the Hutt had established Niima Outpost, but that was the extent of her knowledge concerning the subject. Otherwise she had no idea what they were talking about.

"I suppose you have a point. I bet someone like him would fetch a fine price considering he can use those weird magical powers I've heard stories about."

 _Did they just say… weird magical powers?_

Rey had a sinking feeling in her gut about who they were talking about. In order to confirm her suspicions, she quickly brought her eyes closer to a gap in the air grate in order to have a better view of the room's inhabitants. She quietly gasped at what she found. There he was, lying on the floor, nearly unconscious. The last time she had seen him in such a state was back on Starkiller Base.

 _Things just got more complicated_ Rey dreadfully realized as she saw Kylo Ren's dark figure sprawled across the floor.

* * *

A/N: Poor Kylo Ren, he's getting so beat up in this story. Eh, but he kind of deserves it after killing Han Solo.

 _Mysterious voice: Quell these thoughts! They lead to the dark side!_

Alright, alright. I'll try and be nicer to him.

Anyway, I hope you guys liked this lengthy chapter! Let me know what you thought of it, I absolutely love reading your comments. Also I'm thrilled that I have over a 100 followers. That's amazing!

Thank you vitimontherun, bluejustice13, Nitany, Guest, megumisakura, pennames19, Yarik, PagesOfHappiness, and christos200 for your kind reviews, and thank you to everyone who followed and favorited my story!

May the force be with you.


	6. Chapter 6

_I do not own Star Wars_

* * *

 _Plan, I need a plan_ Rey's mind emphasized as she closely watched the two men surrounding Kylo Ren. As tempting as the idea was, she couldn't just blindly attack them and hope to be the victor. If she was going to rescue Ren, she had to do it quickly and carefully. The last thing Rey needed was for the intruders to overwhelm her and capture her as well.

 _I can't believe I'm going to try to help Kylo Ren…again._

Despite the problematic nature of having him as her prisoner, Rey knew she was responsible for him. She should have never left him alone on the ship when armed hijackers were present. It was ridiculous of her to not expect them to investigate a locked door when they were clearly exploring the ship in its entirety for selling purposes. How they managed to bypass the locked door still puzzled her though. When Rey first placed Ren in the room, she had physically opened up the door's control panel in order to establish lock functions. Either these intruders were skilled mechanics, or they somehow managed to blast the door open despite it being blast proof.

Before Rey could think longer on the mysterious circumstances surrounding Ren's capture, the door to the control room opened once more. A woman with short dark hair purposely strode in. She wore a dark blue flight suit and a belt that had numerous devices hanging off it, most notably, a decently sized blaster. As the woman glanced at Kylo Ren, still crumpled on the floor, Rey could sense the confidence practically radiating off of her. Whoever this woman was, the scavenger could tell she was a force to be reckoned with.

With a satisfied smile, the woman turned to look at the two men. "How's our prisoner doing? Not causing any more problems I hope?" she asked.

One of the men glanced at Ren's form with a smirk. "It would seem he's decided to be compliant," he replied. "Then again, after what you did to him it's impossible to imagine him being anything else."

When Rey heard this she instantly realized that this woman was the one the men were discussing earlier, "Almari". Even injured, Rey figured Ren could have protected himself with the force, but clearly this woman had managed to take him down regardless. The fact that Almari had somehow incapacitated Kylo Ren meant she wasn't wrong when she assumed the woman was highly dangerous.

"Just making sure since we have a very _special_ guest on board with us today," Almari casually explained.

"Special? You mean because of his powers?" the other man asked in confusion.

"I suppose that's part of it," Almari stated. She then reached into her boot and carefully pulled something out.

Rey was immensely surprised when she realized what the woman was grasping. Even in the dim light of the room, she instantly recognized Kylo Ren's unique saber. With its dark, metallic hilt, lateral vents, and visible wiring it couldn't have been anything else.

 _But that's impossible, because I-_ Rey touched her belt and noticed that only one light saber hung from it.

 _He must have taken it when I wasn't looking_ she angrily realized. Though Rey was livid with Kylo Ren for snatching it from her belt, she was more disappointed in herself for not realizing this. How was she going to safely bring him to the Resistance when she couldn't even hold on to his weapon?

Almari turned the crudely built saber in her hands as she curiously inspected it. "I must admit, I've never seen a light saber before," she mused. "I'm disappointed though. I thought it would be far more breathtaking, unlike this piece of junk" she explained, clearly dissatisfied.

Suddenly waking up from his stupor, Kylo Ren shot his hand forward and attempted to force grab his saber from Almari. However, before the saber could leave her hands she harshly pressed a button on her belt. Rey watched in horror as electricity quickly engulfed Ren and halted his use of the force.

He thrashed about on the floor, but withheld any screams despite the agony he was experiencing. No matter how much Rey despised him for what he had done, his suffering still disturbed her. She cringed as his torture continued, and even considered blowing her cover and aiding him. Yet, if Rey exposed herself now, they may never escape the hijackers. Realizing this, she just tightly closed her eyes and waited for the ordeal to pass.

After what felt like an eternity Almari finally hit the button again, turning the electricity off. Though he was in bad shape, Ren still managed to glare at her from his position on the floor. Taking note of his defiant stare, the woman sighed once more.

"I warned you not to act up. Then again, I guess I should have expected something like this. You're impulsive behavior is quite famous throughout the galaxy," she spoke. "Isn't that right, _Kylo Ren_ of the First Order?"

"So you've heard of me?" he managed to say after a few long moments of panting.

"Only because of all the atrocities you've committed," she provided. "You've garnered quite the reputation."

"Good," Ren boldly said.

Rey internally sighed. _Leave it to Ren to be pleased with himself for terrible deeds._

"What! No way! This young guy is Kylo Ren?" one of the men suddenly exclaimed while inspecting the man in question. "I thought he was an old dude!"

Ren's glare turned towards the new speaker.

"An old dude? I thought he was a droid! Rumors said he had a metal face!" the other man argued.

"It was a mask you idiot!" Kylo Ren angrily clarified.

Both men looked thoroughly confused. "Why did you need a mask if-"

"Enough Rigil and Regulus," Almari interrupted, sending them both a stern look. Rey could tell she was the boss around here. "None of this matters. All that's important is that the First Order will pay handsomely for the return of their little prince," she emphasized.

Ren instantly perked up when she said this.

"But what about the Resistance? Wouldn't they pay more considering he's their enemy?" Rigil asked.

Almari shook her head. "The Resistance's funds were destroyed along with the Hosnian System. The New Republic was a patron to their endeavors. Now that it's gone I doubt the Resistance could afford our prisoner's ransom."

"Oh, I see. Good thinking Sis!" Rigil said.

"Now, you two will continue to monitor Ren here while I go and contact the First Order. If he starts to make trouble again use this," Almari instructed while handing Regulus a clip with a button on it. Rey recognized it as being the button that activated the electricity that had tortured Ren.

"Also keep an eye on this for me," she added, handing Kylo Ren's light saber to Rigil. He carefully grasped its rough hilt and began to excitedly look it over.

"We won't let you down Almari," Regulus assured before attaching the clip to his belt. Likewise, Rigil did the same with the light saber.

Once she had left the room the two men smiled at each other before turning to look at their prisoner.

 _This can't be good_ Rey thought. She knew their expressions meant trouble, and unfortunately, Kylo Ren was about to be on the receiving end.

"You know brother, I'm still upset that Kylo Ren threw us on the floor with his powers," Rigil bitterly complained. "I mean, we were minding our own business in the hallway, and next thing we knew he was getting in our way."

 _Did he just say Kylo Ren was in the hallway? That doesn't make sense I left him locked in the room. Also why would he be getting in their way? It's not like he was actively seeking them unless he was trying to-_

"He actually tried to escape," Rey whispered in disbelief. It suddenly made sense why he had only recently reclaimed his saber. He had every intention of escaping and he needed his weapon to do it! Her anger began to kindle within her.

 _At least these intruders stopped him_ the eerie voice from the forest whispered in Rey's mind. _Yes, thank the Makers_ she agreed in satisfaction. Realizing that she had just agreed with the mysterious voice she shook her head. _Wait, why am I pleased that they captured and tortured him? It was wrong_ she firmly tried to remind herself. Yet despite this, she still felt rather conflicted. What was happening to her?

"You know, you're right Rigil," Regulus replied with a smirk. "I think we should teach him a lesson. What do you say?"

"I don't know, Almari might be upset with us if something was to happen to him," Rigil explained with fake concern.

"Well as long as we don't kill him, I'm sure she won't be too upset," his brother assured.

Kylo Ren watched the exchange between the two before finally speaking. "If you two imbeciles think you can hurt me, you're-"

Regulus pressed the button on his belt and electricity began to course through Ren. As tendrils of electricity whipped across his skin, Rey felt her concern return. She had to do something this time. Unlike Alrami, these two men did not seem to exercise the same restraint she did and seemed focused on revenge. Fueled by their own hatred for Ren, they would likely shock him until he died of electrocution. If Rey did not act now he would die.

 _Well let him_ the voice from before urged. _He escaped once, he'll do it again. It's probably better to let him die before he can return to the First Order_. _If he returns it's only a matter of time before he starts murdering innocent people again…_

Despite her better judgment, Rey listened to the unnerving voice as it instilled indecision within her.

 _He killed Han Solo, he tried to kill Finn, and he tried to kill you! When you rescued him the first time he almost choked you to death. Imagine what he'll do to you if you save him again!_

Kylo Ren began to yell.

 _He is irredeemable. Ben Solo is dead and will remain dead. Why should you help a man who destroyed the only light that ever dwelled in his heart?_

Eventually Ren's yells turned into screams.

 _Leave him Rey! Let him die!_

His body was now madly thrashing about as his screams reached their climax. Bright electricity was tearing through his being and further harming him with every second. Any moment now his body would slowly settle and death would claim the young force user. He was her enemy, yet tears threatened to fall as Rey watched what was happening.

"No,"she quietly whimpered.

 _Rey don't do this, he doesn't deserve it-_

"Stop," she weakly said aloud, however no one could hear her over Ren's cries of agony.

 _Don't!_

"Leave him alone!" she cried before flinging her hand forward. Despite not intending to, she somehow used the force to violently throw the two men against a control panel. When their backs roughly made contact with the panel, it burst and emitted sparks.

Rey did not waste time as she kicked the vent's grate out of the way and leaped onto the floor. While both men were struggling to get up, she grabbed her light saber off of her belt and quickly activated it. Regulus tried to fire at her, but almost instinctively she was able to block the blasts like how Kylo Ren had done when she first encountered him. She charged at the man with the blaster and with breathtaking speed she sliced his weapon in half. Disarmed, he tried to swing at her but she ducked out of the way and swung her leg out from underneath her. It collided with her assailant's leg and he went tumbling to the floor as she gracefully rose to her feet. Thankfully he was knocked unconscious.

Her enemy down, Rey lunged for his belt and practically ripped the device off of it in order to switch off the electricity that continued to crackle in the background. As quickly as she could, she pressed the button and shoved it in her pocket. Relieved to hear the screams cease, Rey turned to check on Kylo Ren, but something heavy collided with the back of her head and she fell to the floor.

"Oof!" she grunted as she painfully landed. Her hand was still grasping her light saber, but a foot stomped on it causing her to cry in pain and release it. Once her hand opened up the same foot harshly kicked it away.

When Rey looked up at her attacker she found Rigil toss Kylo Ren's non-activated light saber away after it served its purpose. There was a wicked gleam in his eyes as he stared down at her. Without warning he kicked her side and she screamed. The action caused pain to blossom in her side and her eyes to leak with tears. Rey was defenseless as she lay injured on the floor. Between the ache in her head and side, there was nothing she could do as she watched him pull out his blaster.

"We could have gained a lot of credits selling a pretty thing like you to the Hutts," Rigil observed as he aimed his blaster at Rey's head. "However, you've made me angry hurting my brother like that."

His finger touched the trigger.

"Unfortunately it's gonna cost you your life now," he declared.

Rey clamped her eyes shut to prepare for the shot, but it never came. After a few long moments she slowly she opened her eyes. What she found stunned her. Protruding through Rigil's chest was a long, red plasma blade that belonged to the person currently wielding it.

Kylo Ren.

* * *

A/N: Wow there was quite a bit of action in this chapter! Love it, hate it? Let me know what you thought. Now I know some of you might be thinking, "Where the heck is Reylo in this story?" but I can assure you it will come. Remember, these guys hate each other and they have to reach some kind of understanding before they can begin to like each other. I tend to write drawn out stories, but it allows me to focus on the plot as well as the romance.

Thank you to megumisakura, bluejustice13, crystalstars88, BittersweetMemory13, ShortySC22, PagesOfHappiness, ManonVarendaz, and all my lovely guests for reviewing!

May the force be with you.


	7. Chapter 7

_Guess what I wished I owned, but do not? Star Wars_

* * *

Previously…

 _"We could have gained a lot of credits selling a pretty thing like you to the Hutts," Rigil observed as he aimed his blaster at Rey's head. "However, you've made me angry hurting my brother like that."_

 _His finger touched the trigger._

 _"Unfortunately it's gonna cost you your life now," he declared._

 _Rey clamped her eyes shut to prepare for the shot, but it never came. After a few long moments she slowly she opened her eyes. What she found stunned her. Protruding through Rigil's chest was a long, red plasma blade that belonged to the person currently wielding it._

 _Kylo Ren._

* * *

His task completed, Kylo Ren violently kicked Rigil's corpse off of his saber and it landed on the floor with a loud thump. Unfortunately his body fell only a foot away from Rey's form, and she softly gasped when the side of his face abruptly met the metal floor, his dead gaze fixed on her. Rey wasn't exactly afraid, yet the ordeal deeply rattled her and she desperately tried to look at something else. Remembering Ren, Rey looked up to see him still standing in the same place with his saber tightly gripped in his hand.

Kylo Ren's dark hair was glistening and messily clung to the sides of his long face as sweat continued to drip down it before ultimately descending to the floor. In contrast to his usual poker face, his heavy breaths and piercing eyes demonstrated how shaken he was after being subjected to such torture. He had been brought close to death and what she was currently witnessing was the aftereffects. Ren had an almost maddened look about him that was somehow more disturbing than any of his previous attempts at intimidation. What Rey was seeing was Kylo Ren in his rawest form, and as much as she despised to admit it, it was frightening.

This fear though was quickly replaced by bewilderment once she recalled that the twisted man in front of her had saved her. Her eyebrows knit in confusion and her injured head struggled to make sense of the situation. Did he save her to repay her for saving him a few times, or was it something else that motivated him to help her? Better yet, perhaps the light she had witnessed in Ben Solo had momentarily emerged? Maybe he wasn't completely gone, just simply lying dormant, ensnared in the tangled web of darkness Kylo Ren had made for himself. Hope began to faintly swell in Rey's chest, yet it did nothing to stop all these thoughts from causing her already present headache (thanks to the blow she received) to further throb.

Deciding that she couldn't exactly remain on the floor forever, Rey bit her lip and tried to sit up despite the excruciating pain in her side. Accomplishing this, she firmly planted her palm of the floor in order to help her stand up. Yet when she was about to execute the maneuver, Ren abruptly brought his plasma blade uncomfortably close to her face like he had done in Takodana. She remained frozen in place as his weapon hummed and crackled a mere inch from her nose. Rey had experienced this all before, yet she didn't feel any less nervous as the light saber's heat caused her skin to prickle and moisten.

"What are you doing?" she firmly asked after tearing her eyes away from the saber to look up at Ren. His shaken visage had disappeared a little and he seemed to be regaining his usual countenance. However, he still appeared severely weakened due to his poor posture and how he seemed to subtly sway in place.

He narrowed his haggard eyes at her. "Not allowing my prisoner to escape," he managed to reply despite his uneven breaths.

 _He is irredeemable_ resonated within her mind like before. However the whisper of the voice that had said it was only a memory now as she recalled its words.

Rey's eyebrows furrowed as she returned his heated glare. "I should have known you wouldn't save me out of the goodness of your own heart," she hissed. Time and time again she had risked her neck for him and he only ever saw these instances as opportunities for himself. Then again, what else could she expect from a cold-blooded murderer? Rey felt foolish for believing he had acted upon a small calling to the light. Whatever light existed in Kylo Ren was clearly still hidden deep within him.

 _Why should you help a man who destroyed the only light that ever dwelled in his heart?_ The voice had warned.

It should have taken a quick recollection of Han's murder to explain his present behavior. Yet the more she became familiar with Ren, the more she humanized him. Because of this she found herself holding out hope that there was still good in him, somewhere. Clearly this mistake could one day prove fatal unless Rey learned to separate the lost boy she saw with the man standing in front of her. However, that was a task easier said than done.

Ren raised a curious eyebrow at her. "I'm flattered that you even considered me capable of such a thing, but unfortunately you're wrong. No, you're of more use to me alive, so if you want to stay that way I suggest you do everything I say," he demanded bringing his saber slightly closer to Rey's face.

 _Imagine what he'll do to you if you save him again!_ wiggled into her mind again once more.

She gazed defiantly at him, but was aware of how the saber's closer proximity caused sparks to flare dangerously close to her face. Rey wanted to tell him flat out that she would never be his prisoner, that he couldn't tell her what to do. Perhaps if she moved quickly enough she could take advantage of his weakened state and overpower him. The only problem with this plan was that she was currently weaponless, quite injured herself, and at his mercy. Rey couldn't exactly tell whether Ren would follow through with his threat, but for now she wouldn't risk it. She just needed to buy time.

Rey clenched her fists in her lap. "Fine," she managed to say through gritted teeth.

"Good. Now get up," he instructed.

She glowered at Ren one final time before she shakily rose to her feet, a difficult task considering her body still hurt. Once standing, Rey slightly wobbled in place and grasped her head when a feeling of dizziness overtook her. Ren seemed to pick up on her condition and extended a hand to help steady her, but she shot him a look when he attempted this. Like hell she would accept his help.

Thankfully he got the message.

"Suit yourself, but know if you slow us down I will throw you over my shoulder if I have to," he warningly explained.

"I find that hard to believe considering the shape you're in," Rey bitterly spoke as she managed to stay upright despite the overwhelming feeling to collapse.

"As a student of the dark side, it's an easy task to utilize pain in order to further invigorate and drive myself. Therefore, I am more than capable of handling a scavenger like you," Ren scoffed as his saber emitted a menacing spark.

Rey didn't care how much he believed in what he just said, the statement sounded utterly ridiculous. If this is what the dark side taught, the dark side was trying to get its followers further harmed, or worse, killed.

Kylo Ren kept his weapon trained on Rey as he suddenly swooped down to pick something off of the floor. When he was upright once more, she saw his gloved hand grasping the smooth, metallic hilt of her light saber. Rey's hazel gaze was fixated on her weapon as Ren securely clipped it to his belt. If only she could retrieve it, then maybe she stood a chance against him, however… She looked down at her bright red fingers that had been previously crushed by Rigil's foot. The scavenger wasn't sure whether she would be able to properly wield it with her injuries. There was always her left hand, but Rey wasn't confident in its abilities to withstand the brute strength of Kylo Ren.

"Walk," Ren commanded while gesturing with his hand towards the door.

Ignoring her willingness to evade his saber and force grab her weapon, Rey stiffly turned and began to walk in the direction he indicated. With a constant warmth lingering close to her back, Rey was careful not to stop or else she risked impaling herself on Ren's saber. Whenever they encountered a new passageway he would murmur "stop" and only then would she dare not move. Soon after halting, Rey would feel the Force wash over her as it seemed to prod at the world around her. Though she sensed it, it wasn't exactly directed at her so it was difficult to determine what it sought as it expanded into the unexplored hallways. After a momentary pause, Ren would utter a swift "right" or "left" and Rey was expected to move once more.

Despite his previous urgency for haste, Ren was not moving very quickly himself. Clearly he was still suffering from his ordeal despite his speech about how it was meant to strengthen him. If anything he was slowing them down, but of course Rey wasn't complaining.

When they passed the hallway leading to the ship's airlock room, her curiosity soared. If they were not returning to their ship, where were they going?

"Where are you taking me?" she finally asked.

"Give me one good reason why I should tell you?" he fired back.

"I don't know, it's the least you owe me after I saved your life, what is it now? Oh yeah, _two_ times," she provided.

Rey didn't need to see his face to know Kylo Ren was fuming. "If you must know, I'm finding a pilot who will bring us to the First Order," he spat.

"You're looking for Almari?" she asked in surprise. With the one of the men dead, and the other incapacitated, the only other able body on the ship was hers. "Didn't she capture you?"

"So did you at one point, but it didn't take long for me to change that. With the activator for the cuff gone she has no way to hold me back," Ren spitefully said.

As soon as Ren mentioned the activator, a flash of realization struck Rey so harshly she hoped he didn't sense it through the Force. Being as subtle as she could, she tentatively pressed her palm against her pants in order to ensure that she still had it. As she did this, Rey felt her heart quicken. One wrong movement and she would be found out. She had to use every bit of carefulness she had acquired over the years in order to not catch Ren's attention. When the scavenger finally felt something oddly shaped under the coarse fabric, Rey slowly slid her fingers into her pocket in order to find the item.

The tips of her fingers grazed the activator. _Almost got it-_

"Stop," Ren suddenly said.

Rey immediately stopped what she was doing and stiffly ceased moving. Her heart wildly thumped in her chest and she felt her nerves ignite and burn under her skin. Ever so slowly she turned her head to look at Ren, only he wasn't looking at her. He was glancing down a new corridor that they had arrived at and seemed to be intently studying it. When Rey felt the Force rush past her and sweep down it she released an internal sigh of relief. He didn't know what she was up to.

Taking advantage of the fact that he was distracted, Rey returned her attention to the small metal object in her grasp and gently retrieved it from its hiding space. With the activator now enclosed in her palm, she let victory replace the discomfort of possibly being discovered. Rey had what she needed to turn the tables. She knew what the brace on Ren's wrist was capable of and could use its effects to her advantage. He just didn't need to know that she would only use it as a last resort. Even if Rey was forced to use it she would not leave it on anywhere near as long as Almari or her brothers had. It was cruel enough to activate it; therefore she would do everything in her power to ensure it didn't come to that. Rey was many things, but someone who delighted in the pain of others wasn't one of them.

"Left" Kylo Ren said after his Force scan of the area was completed.

Instead of complying, Rey swiftly turned around to face him and met his dark gaze.

Ren considered her defiant behavior and narrowed his eyes. "Didn't you hear me? I said-"

"Sorry, I'm going to have to pass. As much as I'd love to return to the First Order I have more important things to do, like delivering you to the Resistance," she smoothly spoke.

"Then tell me, how are you going to accomplish this when you're currently my prisoner?" he sarcastically asked as he brought his unstable saber near to Rey's face once more. "As far as I can tell, I'm making the decisions around here."

Rey did not break eye contact as she lifted her right hand and revealed what she was holding. "Well that's about to change because I have this," she simply stated.

Kylo Ren's eyes widened in surprise and even displayed the briefest signs of apprehension at the object that had caused him so much suffering. He took a subconscious step back and even slightly lowered his plasma blade.

 _Good, he isn't going to risk fighting me_ Rey thought in relief. If he remained compliant she wouldn't be forced to do anything she wished not to.

"You wouldn't dare," he hissed. "You don't have it in you."

Rey placed her thumb on the button, but didn't apply pressure. She had to be as convincing as possible if she was going to ensure that things didn't get messy. "Is that a risk you're willing to take?" she carefully asked.

When Ren didn't answer she made a show of raising her thumb in order to press the button. Just as it was about to make contact she heard him finally deactivate his lightsaber with a hiss and hold it out to her. If looks could kill, Rey would have already died a few hundred times due to the intense glare Ren was directing at her. Wasting no time she reached out a hand to retrieve his weapon and wrapped her fingers around its dark hilt. The action caused her to slightly wince, but she tried not to let it show. Ren's hand strongly tightened around his beloved weapon in a last moment of indecision, but ultimately he released it.

Rey quickly clipped it on her belt before pointing to her lightsaber still on Ren's hip. "I'll be taking that back as well," she mentioned.

He wordlessly, roughly grabbed the saber and pulled it off of his belt before shoving it in her direction. Clearly he didn't care as much to be losing Luke's lightsaber compared to his very own. Rey gently retrieved her weapon and made sure to clip it and the activator on a more assessable portion of her belt.

"Okay, let's-"

Rey was cut off when the unmistakable sound of a blaster shot was heard. She had mere seconds to react, but thankfully she managed to duck away from it at the last moment before it abruptly hit the wall. Turning around she saw Almari wielding twin blasters with a very dissatisfied look on her face. She slowly stalked towards them with her weapons in the ready position.

"My, my, and who might you be?" she slowly asked. As Almari came closer she interestedly studied Rey, sizing her up. Meanwhile Rey did the same as she moved her hand over her lightsaber. Considering what she did Kylo Ren, she couldn't let her guard down around her.

"No one important," Rey stiffly replied.

Almari smirked in response and turned her head to look at Kylo Ren. "Got your girlfriend to rescue you then? I must say she's quite the catch, especially for someone as horrible as you."

The comment caused Rey's face to scrunch in disgust, while Kylo Ren scowled in irritation. "If you think I care about this Jakku scavenger you're out of your mind," he snapped.

Rey couldn't tell whether Kylo Ren was angrier at the first or second sentence. The pirate may have been right about him being horrible, but other than that she might have been the one with a concussion. The day she became that monster's girlfriend was the day rocks learned to fly.

"Did you just say she's a Jakku scavenger?" Almari asked. "Word is the First Order has bounty out for a young woman who also happens to be one." She then gave Rey another once over. "Now that I'm looking closely, the holopic they provided displayed a similar looking girl."

Rey firmly grasped her lightsaber and unclipped it from her belt. She did not like where this conversation was heading.

The pirate smiled and placed her fingers on her blasters' triggers. "I'm gonna go to sleep tonight significantly richer," she proudly stated before firing numerous shots at the pair.

Rey quickly activated the saber before clumsily blocking them as best as she could. However, she hissed in pain every time a shot powerfully made contact with her saber beam. One nearly caused her to drop her weapon due to how badly her bruised fingers ached.

Almari seemed to notice her discomfort and smirked. "What's wrong? Having trouble keeping up?" she sneered before releasing another barrage of bolts.

With every bolt Rey struggled to block, she felt her grip on her weapon loosen. Any moment now it would likely slip from her hand and shatter their defense. She needed to do something or else they would both be captured. Unfortunately, she only seemed to have two options: 1. Continue to fight until Almari managed to overpower her, or, 2. Try to escape back to their ship and disconnect the airlock. When Rey threw the other pirates against the control panel she severely damaged it and hopefully this caused the override to shut off. It wasn't the noblest thing to do, but option number two seemed like the only sensible one.

"Ren run," Rey commanded as she barely blocked another bolt.

"You're joking right? If you hand over my lightsaber we could easily take her out!" he argued.

"You really think I'm going to give you back your weapon after everything you've done!" she fired back while sweeping her cyan blade out to meet another shot. "You're the last person I would entrust with a lightsaber right now."

"We can't just run away like cowards! You need my help," he insisted. " _Rey_ let me help you."

If he thought using her name was going to break through to her he was quite mistaken. Rey was in charge here and he was just going to have to listen to her if they were going to escape this mess.

"No," she firmly told him in between her rapid breaths. "Now at the count of three I'm going to stop blocking and we are going to make a run for it. Do you understand?" she questioned.

"And if I don't come with you?" Ren challenged.

"Then it's on you to protect yourself."

At of the corner of her eye Rey saw Kylo Ren consider the mayhem in front of him. He must have been weighing his options, despite her option being the least lethal. She knew he was still quite weakened and could not overpower Almari with only the Force. For his sake he needed to stick with her to survive.

"Okay. One-" Alrami got much closer. "-Two-" a blast singed off a loose piece of hair hanging around Rey's face. "Three!" she cried while turning and sprinting down the hallway.

For a moment she was solitarily fleeing down the rusted hallway which caused her to wonder if Ren had truly stayed behind. Then suddenly she saw his large frame appear next to her as he managed to keep in pace with her. Rey was immensely relieved he had gone along with her plan despite his obvious dislike of it. The disgruntled look on his face was proof enough.

Behind them sporadic bolts continued to fly around them. "To think the high and mighty Kylo Ren is running away!" Almari taunted as she pursued them.

When Rey saw Ren's face contort in frustration, she prayed to the Makers that he wouldn't stop. The guy had one heck of an ego and she could already tell Almari's comments were going to be a problem.

"This is what the First Order taught you? I didn't realize they conditioned cowards!"

Ren growled in anger and quickly turned around. Rey panicked when she saw this and was about to urge him to keep moving when he flung his arm out and used the Force to trip Almari. In his state it seemed like the most he could manage, but Rey was secretly grateful when it put more space between them and her. Maybe help from him wasn't completely horrible?

"Pirates and smugglers are the true cowards. Trust me, I would know," Ren spat at the pirate. After doing this he turned back around and continued to run alongside Rey. Whether he was referring to his father she couldn't tell. However, the last thing she wanted to do was bring him up when they were experiencing a crisis.

"Where are we going?" Ren demanded after another few minutes of running.

"Back to the ship," she replied.

"And which way is it exactly?"

"If I remember correctly I think it was this way"

"You _think_?" he exasperatedly said.

As they ran further down the hall, Rey suddenly saw another figure standing at the end of the hallway. At first she began to panic thinking it was another pirate, but as they neared it she realized it was not a being of flesh. It was transparent and emanating an unnatural glow, something achievable by only one thing: the ghost from before. Kylo Ren appeared completely oblivious to its presence, so she figured now was not to the time to ask if he saw dead people. As they got closer she noticed that he appeared to be pointing down a nearing hallway with an urgent look. To see the ghost displaying emotion was a strange sight to behold so clearly whatever was down that hallway was important. The ghost had always helped her before, so she saw no reason to start doubting its judgment. Perhaps it knew a shortcut back to the ship?

"Ren turn right here," she cried as a blaster bolt shot past them. Evidently Almari was back on her feet and fast approaching.

"Are you sure?" he asked, not quite convinced.

"Yes, now move!" she cried as the sound of blasters reached a climax.

They scrambled down the dark hallway and didn't stop despite the injuries that were tearing at their bodies. All Rey felt was hot adrenaline pumping through her body as she sprinted alongside her greatest foe. When her world had become so crazy, she wasn't sure. Rey just knew there was no going back to the uneventful and mundane life on Jakku. Evading evil regimes, asteroids and pirates was quickly becoming her new life. Crazy was a mild way to put it.

Eventually a lone door appeared at the end of the hallway. "Is that the airlock?" Ren urgently asked.

Rey only needed a quick glimpse at the door for all the color in her face to drain away. That wasn't the airlock door and she had no idea where it led. However, at this point it didn't matter. Turning around wasn't an option with the female space pirate closing in on them.

"Doesn't matter, we just need to get through it!" she cried as they neared the door. Once they finally reached it, Rey began to tinker with the control panel in order to open the door.

Ren looked from Rey to Almari as she continued to approach them while installing a new power pack into one of her blasters. "What's taking you so long?" he snapped.

"I'm sorry this door is _locked_. However, if you think you can open it faster than me, then by all means be my guest," she sarcastically replied gesturing to the panel.

"Just hurry," he hissed in response to her comment.

Rey's returned to what she was doing and continued to fabricate commands on the control panel's keypad. "Almost there…" she whispered to herself as she entered a few more integers. "Come on. Come on…"

"Rey," Ren said warningly as Almari moved closer.

The pirate pointed her recharged blasters at them. "Gotcha," she said victoriously.

"One more…got it!" Rey yelled just before they both had to avoid several more blasts. Thankfully it wasn't long before the door opened and the pair quickly scurried inside. Once through the door, Rey slammed her fist against the control panel. The door clamped shut permanently blocking their pursuer from reaching them. With the door now shut the two force users were immersed in complete darkness as they heard Almari's pounding on the other side of the barrier.

"Now what?" Kylo Ren dryly asked as they stood in the darkness. "This sure is a brilliant plan," he muttered.

Rey began to feel along the walls for a light switch of some sort. Honestly she had no idea where they were. If they were in a room hopefully there was another entryway they could sneak through. There just had to be, they couldn't possibly be stuck. The ghost would not lead them towards a dead end, right?

"Help me find a light switch. We can't do anything until we get some light in here."

She heard Ren grumble to himself but ultimately he joined her in her search. After a few more moments of blindly feeling around, Rey heard what sounded like someone pulling a heavy lever before suddenly the lights came on. Able to see, she glanced at Ren who was standing nearby.

"You found the switch?" she inquired.

"No, I thought you did."

Confused, Rey looked around the room and found a large lever flipped upwards. What was strange was that neither of them were anywhere near it when the lights came on.

"Strange, I-"

Rey was cut off when she felt the room suddenly begin to rumble and hum. Ren just looked around, curious as to what was happening. Slowly other parts of the room began to light up revealing a cockpit like area with a few chairs, screens, buttons, and levers. Gradually the rumbling increased to the point that both Rey and Ren were struggling to remain upright.

"What's going on? What did you do?" he accusingly asked while bracing himself against a wall for support.

"I didn't do anything! I don't know what's happening," she replied, a tint of worry seeping into her voice.

"Well fix it," he hurriedly stated.

As if on cue there was a loud sound, like something detaching, and the room abruptly lurched forward. They both managed to hang on to the railing on the wall, but the event was wildly disorienting. Despite the increased shaking of the room, Rey used the railing to slowly make her way over to the control boards. Whatever was happening she had to somehow make it stop. Once she finally reached it, she sank into the chair and began to mess with the numerous buttons and levers, yet nothing was responding. It was almost like the controls had a mind of their own. Eventually something finally did happen, only she didn't press anything for once. A metal screen began to slowly rise revealing…

"Oh no…" Rey darkly muttered.

"What is it?" Ren called from the back of the room. Only what they were in wasn't a room at all.

Rey sat in her chair staring out at the stars and a large, orange planet that lay suspended amongst them. What was disturbing was that the planet was growing larger, meaning they were quickly heading toward it. A sinking feeling in Rey's stomach told her that this wasn't just some room. What room had so many controls and navigational systems if it wasn't a cockpit?

When Rey didn't answer, Ren made his way to where she was but froze when he looked out the window.

"No, this can't be happening," he growled.

But it was. They had entered an escape pod that had mysteriously detached from the main ship and were now currently hurtling towards a planet, and the worst part, Rey couldn't even control it.

* * *

A/N: I hope that was long enough to make up for my weeks of disappearance. Between homework and a terrible cold it was pretty difficult to write, but I'm healthy again and I have a long weekend so I finally found time to get to work on this! As always thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed and faved my story. You guys mean a lot to me, so please let me know what you think of the chapter. Your reviews are literally all it takes to make this overworked, ramen-eating, cat-loving, college student very, _very_ happy. Also I hope everyone has a nice Valentine's Day whether you have someone special in your lives, or you're painfully single like me. Just spread the love people, spread the love.

A very special thanks to bluejustice13, WindrissQuin, SuperninjaX, Michelle, megumisakura, MelfryTheIronLady, crystalstars88, ShortySC22, Tkzimmerman28, CalistaLegaci, PagesOfHappiness, Mitil Tenten, bluetigresss, aames, Perry Downing, christos200, PurrfectlyWordy and the Guests for reviewing!

May the force be with you.


	8. Chapter 8

_I do not own Star Wars_

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Rey was rapidly losing her composure the more she tinkered with the pod's controls. Nothing she did was working and it would be a matter of minutes before the pod broke through the planet's atmosphere. Once that happened the descent would be haphazard and harder to control. At least now they were steadily cruising due to the vacuum of space, but unless she could regain control of the vessel, they were as good as dead.

"I thought you were a pilot," Kylo Ren loudly declared over the sound of the sirens indicating an approaching atmosphere.

"I am," she defended as she pulled back another lever. "There's just something seriously wrong with this pod."

"Well if you don't fix it we're going to die," he snapped.

Rey's hand froze just as she was about to pull another lever and sharply turned around to glare at Ren. She had had enough of this man barking orders at her and doing nothing to help. He was the Commander of the First Order, just how incapable was he outside of driving his saber through people? Then again that's probably what Commanders did all the time: order others around. The only problem was Rey wasn't one of his mindless minions.

"I don't see you doing anything!" she heatedly stated.

Ren clenched his jaw in offense. "Since when do C _ommanders_ know how to do something as petty as fly a ship when there are others for that?" he fired back.

Rey rolled her eyes at the man before her.

 _Looks like I was right_.

"You know what, forget it," she briskly said before leaving her seat and moving towards a panel on the wall. Fine, if she was the only one who could save them, she would. Rey wasn't about to die on a small pod with Kylo Ren of all people. After everything she had recently been through, she wouldn't give up now. Facing the panel, Rey grabbed her lightsaber off of her belt and quickly activated it. As the cyan blade's light reflected off of the panel's slightly rusted surface, Ren gave her weapon a dubious look. When she moved the saber to point directly at the wall, Ren finally spoke.

"You thinking stabbing the ship will make it work?" he furiously asked. "You might open a hole to the outside and kill us before we even have a chance to crash onto that planet."

Rey shook her head and jammed the plasma blade into the metallic wall despite Ren's concerns. "I know what I'm doing," she assured as she moved the saber in a circular motion, easily slicing through the metal panel. A few more seconds of work and she had cut out a circular piece of metal that fell onto the floor with a loud clang. Situated within the incandescent cutout was a mess of multi-colored wires and small devices.

Rey deactivated her weapon and clipped it onto her belt before crouching down and partially climbing into the wall. She tried to concentrate on finding the correct wire, but it was becoming increasingly difficult the more Rey thought about how dangerous it was that she wasn't keeping an eye on Kylo Ren. The last thing she wanted to do was turn her back on him when he wasn't tied up, but she didn't have a choice.

" _1 minute until atmospheric contact_ " a robotic voice announced.

The scavenger's hands hurriedly sifted through the jungle of wires as she frantically searched for what she was looking for. Finally after what felt like an eternity, she saw a purple wire hanging further back inside the wall. Rey pulled herself further into the hole until only her ankles were left hanging outside. Grasping the wire she easily brought it towards her, almost too easily. All it took was a simple tug for Rey to discover that the wire was crudely cut. She had been trying to maintain her composure up until that point, but discovering the cut wire caused her eyes to widen in horror and her heartbeat to slightly quicken. All the controls were permanently offline due to the circuitry connecting them to the rest of the ship being cut. Unfortunately without the proper equipment to fix it, there was nothing she could do to control the pod's descent.

" _Atmosphere detected."_

Immediately after the robotic voice announced this, the pod began to violently shake and rock. Still inside the wall, Rey struggled not to strike her head on something as she hurriedly pulled herself out of it. Once outside, she combated the turbulence and shakily rose to her feet before looking around the pod.

Thankfully Ren was seated and intensely looking out the window, so she turned her attention to the rest of the pod. Finding some compartments in the walls, she carefully made her way to them while grasping whatever she could to remain upright. If the ship was going to crash they couldn't be on it when it happened. Considering the vessel was an escape pod, there had to be a parachute somewhere. As she began to search them it wasn't long before quick a side glance told her that Ren had finally noticed her.

"Did you fix the ship?" he harshly asked.

"No, the circuitry is torn and there's nothing I can do without equipment. We're going to have to jump," Rey returned as she continued to search the compartments. "I'm looking for parachutes".

Once she stated this Kylo Ren's face adopted what she assumed was his form of surprise before his mask of anger and defiance returned. "You can't be serious," he hissed.

"It's either we stay on the ship and let the landing kill us, or we jump."

Rey knew he didn't like the idea, she didn't even like the idea, but the returning silence told her Ren wouldn't argue with her. This was the only way to survive and thankfully he was smart enough to accept it. To Rey's surprise he got up and attempted to recheck some of the compartments she had previously rummaged through. However after another few minutes of searching by both of them, Rey began to dreadfully realize that there may not be any parachutes onboard.

" _Five minutes until contact"._

Rey bit her lip and glanced out of the window to find the planet's surface approaching at an alarming rate. "Ren did you find anything?" she asked after another compartment revealed no parachutes.

"Nothing," he replied.

There wasn't enough time; they would have to jump out of the pod without parachutes. It was extremely dangerous, but so was remaining on the ship. At least if they timed it right they could jump close enough to the surface so they wouldn't severely injure themselves. However with the pod's current speed it would still be quite difficult.

"There's no time," Rey announced as she moved towards the button for the exit ramp. She pressed it and thankfully the ramp began to slowly lower revealing a barren landscape below. Wind quickly swept up into the pod and caused the pair's hair and clothes to wildly whip around them. Completely opened, Rey took a tentative step towards the ramp and looked down.

"There's no way we'll survive!" Ren yelled over the howling of the wind.

Rey turned to look at her furious prisoner. "At least this way we have a chance!" she shouted back.

"How? We'll be killed on impact!"

Rey shook her head in frustration. If she was about to die, she didn't want to spend her last moments bickering with her enemy. "If we jump when we're as close to the ground as possible we can make it!"

"It'll never work!" he angrily countered.

Even though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she knew he had a point. Maybe they were jumping to their deaths, but they had to try something. Rey had looked death in the eye too many times to be afraid of it now. She had kept both herself and Kylo Ren alive time and time again, and knew that it couldn't end here. Maybe it was the Force or just her optimist mind, but she knew they would survive, they had to. Rey firmly pushed Ren's comments to the back of her mind as she studied the approaching ground.

 _Wait for it, wait for it…_

The planet's surface was so close now she could make out land formations.

 _Wait for it…_

She could see individual boulders now.

 _Wait for it…Now!_

With great speed Rey roughly grabbing Ren's wrist and another jolt from the ship was all the help she needed for him to lose his footing and not be able to resist her hold as she dragged him down the ramp. Between the immense wind and rocking there was no opportunity to pause at the edge before they were airborne. Somewhere along the way Rey lost her grip on Ren and couldn't help releasing a scream as she felt her stomach fill with butterflies and the wind harshly slap her body. The experience was so much more terrifying than what she anticipated that suddenly being back on the pod seemed like the lesser of two evils.

However the experience was cut short when the wind was knocked out of her lungs upon contact with what she assumed was a sand dune. Rey cried out in pain as she began to violently roll down its side in a frenzy. Every time she flipped over her injuries burned and sand filled her eyes and mouth. Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore she finally stopped rolling and landed harshly upon level ground.

Lying upon the scorched earth, her skin burned without her heat protective fabric wrapped around her arms. She tried to move, but her body pulsated with pain and her vision began to spin. Yet despite the fact that she was covered in dust and had probably earned a few more injuries, she managed to weakly smile in relief. She had survived, however the remaining question was, did Ren?

Biting back a cry she tried again to move and found it a little easier this time. She tested her arms and legs, and though they were bruised, miraculously no bones appeared to be broken. If she hadn't landed on sand she would have likely been in worse shape. For once in her life, Rey was grateful for sand even if it had always made her harsh life a little more difficult. Carefully she got up and managed to stay upright despite her bruised legs slightly shaking from supporting her. Shielding her eyes from the sun, Rey looked out across the dunes in order to find Ren.

From where she was standing, all she saw was a sea of bright orange sand with no indication of her darkly clad prisoner. He should have been easy to spot against the plain background, however there was no sign of him. Rey frowned and looked up at the dune she had rolled down. Using the skills she had acquired from years of climbing dunes, she was able to easily make her way to the top despite her aching injuries. Now with a better vantage point it was much easier to look out across the landscape as she searched for him. Looking off into the distance she spotted a dark figure half buried in some sand not too far off. Hopeful that she had found him, Rey began to make her way down the other side of the dune.

Though the sun was hot and the air dry, these conditions did not slow Rey down. This climate was all Rey knew up until recently, so she paid it little mind as she easily traversed the sandy ground. As she got closer to her target she saw black fabric slightly swaying in the wind and quickened her pace once she recognized it. It was Ren's cape, she knew it. It wasn't long before she reached him and discovered that he was covered in sand from head to toe. It was all over his clothes and imbedded in his thick, dark hair. When Rey studied his face she found that his eyes were closed and she became worried. Was he alright?

"No, no," Rey mumbled to herself as she kneeled beside him. "Kylo Ren?" she said. When she got no response she began tapping his shoulder, but he still did not stir. "Ren?" she stated a little louder, but there was still nothing. His chest didn't appear to be moving and when she felt his wrist she couldn't tell if he had a pulse.

Worry was beginning to turn into panic, so she moved her hand to tap his pale cheek instead. "Come on, wake up. You can't be dead," she told his form. After a few more minutes of tapping his face to no avail, she just let her hand cradle it as she studied his bandaged face.

If Ren was dead that meant that she was alone, again. Though he had done nothing but make her life harder than it needed to be, the last thing she wanted was to be left by herself on another desert planet. He was nothing close to a friend, but she had become so used to his presence over the last few days that the thought of suddenly losing him was slightly troubling. The fact that she was the one to drag him off the pod also made her feel incredibly guilty.

She thought of Han and how displeased he would be with her if he knew that she had pulled his son to his death. No she did not just feel guilty, she felt horrible. There was always the possibility that he could have been redeemed, but now no one would ever know because of her. Despite her negative feelings towards him she wasn't surprised when she felt her eyes begin to moisten. No matter how many evil acts he had committed, he was still another human being at the end of the day. A human being she had come to know, and at least somewhat understand.

"You may be my enemy…but I know you're too strong to let something like this kill you," she softly whispered as she delicately held his face. She used her thumb to wipe away the sand from his alabaster cheek. "You have to wake up, _Ben,_ " Rey insisted, trying to reach through to him with his true name.

After another few minutes of gently holding his face, she sighed in disappointment when he did not awaken and pulled her hand away. She just shamefully sat there hunched over in the sand while watching his form, hoping, praying that he would open his eyes.

Then as if the Maker had heard her plea, Kylo Ren's eyebrow twitched.

Rey's eyes widened as she shuffled closer to him. "Ren? Are you there?" she quickly asked.

After another few seconds of slight stirring, his eyes slowly opened revealing honey brown irises that she had never noticed before. He did not move or speak as he simply stared up at Rey. He seemed momentarily confused and disoriented, but for the most part alright. However, it wouldn't hurt to make sure.

"Are you okay?" Rey slowly inquired.

She saw Ren's chapped lips part to mumble something, but she couldn't quite hear.

"What was that?"

He repeated what he said a little louder, but she still couldn't understand.

"One more time?"

He seemed irritated, but acquiesced. "I said…don't you dare do that again," Ren stiffly said a little louder.

Rey's titled her head to the side in confusion.

"Do what?" she innocently returned, hoping he was not aware of the things she had said and done to him in her despair.

"Pull me from a moving ship," he deadpanned.

Despite the severity of the situation she couldn't help but let a small smile tug at her lips as she studied Ren's serious expression. "Don't worry. I'm not planning on reliving that experience either."

* * *

A/N: They finally made it to Tatooine! Now the real fun can happen. Cue the silly adventure montage! Anyway, sorry the chapter was a little short and there wasn't too much dialogue, but the next will feature lots, I promise. We'll also get some of Kylo Ren's POV again. Updates will not be as quick until summer begins, but I will try my hardest to keep them coming. Also I want to send out a big thank you to everyone who decided to follow my story! Over 200 followers? Wow!

Reviews and ideas are welcomed!

Thank you to megumisakura, crystalstars88, PagesOfHappiness, Mitil Tenten, Purrfectly Wordy, WindrissQuinn, CountessR, Anatekoira, firerosedreamer67, Earial13, and all the Guests for reviewing!

May the force be with you my readers!


	9. Chapter 9

_I do not own Star Wars_

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Something was not right.

There were not many moments in which Kylo Ren's mind was so muddled with immense confusion, at least moments he had wished not to recount. He was quite aware that this confusion was definitely not the kind that caught you momentarily off guard before clarity quickly returned. No, what he was experiencing was the kind of befuddlement in which the brain struggled to process the situation and could offer no valid explanation for what had occurred. It was as if his brain cells froze, stunned, and he was only left with the ability to register the one emotion he had become far too familiar with over the years: anger. His emotionless visage did not hint at his inner turmoil as he trudged over the course orange, sand. However, upon a closer inspection one would notice how his gloved hand tightened into a fist as he studied the back of the scavenger as she walked a few paces ahead of him.

The scavenger, the young woman he was forced to follow like a leashed animal, she….she was the source of his confusion. He despised it…no he hated it, vehemently. The girl was full of surprises, very few of them being understandable or foreseeable. First she demonstrated that she was somehow naturally gifted at utilizing the Force, second she defeated a trained Force user like himself, then she decided to spare him, and ultimately save him, her enemy. Then she does it again, and again! Mercy according to Snoke was one of the greatest forms of weakness. Someone who had true power would have ended their enemy, right then and there. But…she didn't. Why? There was once a time in which Luke Skywalker had explained that mercy was not a sign of weakness, but strength. However she had never met him nor suffered under his meaningless tutelage. So what was she thinking?

He recalled how she had ruined his plan when she intervened during his torture on the pirate's ship. He could withstand the pain and suffering if it meant the First Order would be able to locate him before aiding in the retrieval of the girl from wherever she had hidden upon the ship. He had everything under control, sure the electricity was becoming unbearable to the point even he was having trouble processing the pain, but he trusted the idiotic brothers were not stupid enough to kill the one person who could ensure a hefty reward from his people. Yet the girl recklessly exposed herself to fight the pirates all by herself, to help him of all people. She was in way over her head, and because of this, it only further ruined his plans. When one of the buffoons attempted to kill her he knew he couldn't allow it to happen. It would have been a waste of potential to see such a strong force user be ended so soon, plus the girl needed to be delivered _alive_ to his master.

Perhaps that was why she was always risking her skin for him. Maybe the girl wished to keep her gift for the Resistance alive. It could have also been for a more personal and selfish reason. Maybe the scavenger simply wished for him to survive so she could continue to revel in the fact that he had such a powerful and widely known figure under her control. She might have seen him as another shiny part that she had salvaged from a ship for all he knew. The idea was not too far-fetched considering she had already demonstrated that she could be quite crazy at times. Picking fights with pirates that outnumbered her and jumping out of moving ships was enough proof.

Thinking of the jump caused the already excruciating headache he had suffered to drastically increase. The fall, he had not forgotten nor forgiven the scavenger for that. Not only did she nearly kill him, but the way she looked at him after he woke only amplified his confusion to an entirely new level. Her eyes…they looked almost…relieved that he was alive. This clearly contradicted what he assumed her intentions were. If he was alive to be her prisoner why did she allow herself to demonstrate concern for his behalf? She had said it herself, he was a _monster_. Yet why had she looked a monster in the eye and momentarily demonstrated no hostility…only concern, another weak emotion he used to so desperately hunger for.

 _No_ he corrected himself. _Another weak emotion Ben used to so desperately hunger for._

The girl was more troubling then he cared to admit, and he would never say it aloud but her actions were getting to him. An inconsequential girl had managed to ruffle his feathers and he did not like it one bit.

"Are you going to quit staring at me anytime soon?" the girl suddenly asked, pulling Ren out his musings. As she looked back at him with sharp eyes, numerous loose strands of her chestnut hair danced around her sand coated face in the dry breeze. She looked quite pitiful to him at the moment, but he knew he probably didn't look much better.

"Why? Does it bother you?" he dryly inquired. "I can't say there is much more to look at besides sand and rocks."

The scavenger rolled her eyes at him. "Well just stop, would you?"

Ren narrowed his eyes at her. "Or what? You'll _electrocute_ me?" he quickly asked as he held up the wrist that the cuff was locked onto.

The girl's eyes widened and she fumbled to reply. "What? No!" she finally managed to say.

"Then why don't you just remove it if you don't intend to use it?" Kylo Ren offered. He was beginning to doubt whether the girl even had the guts to actually press the button if he tried to overpower her. Still, he did not enjoy the potential threat wrapped around his wrist.

She finally stopped walking and abruptly turned around to face him. "Because I don't trust what you'll do without anything to hold you back," she angrily returned.

Kylo Ren smirked at this and took a small step towards her. "So you admit that you fear me then?" he quietly asked meeting her hazel irises with his own gaze. As if to challenge him she took a bold step towards him without breaking eye contact. She was so close now he could see where her sweat had carved small trails through the sand that clung to her rosy cheeks. When he looked into her eyes he was slightly amused to find no fear in them as she closely watched him. All he found was hardened resolve that probably matched his own. So the vulnerable girl who had been present when he awoke after the fall was gone?

"No, I fear what you would do to others," she bitterly replied before she swiftly turned around and began walking again.

Kylo Ren scoffed. "Who could I even hurt out here?" he mockingly asked. "There's nothing but sand dunes for miles," he mentioned while gesturing to his surroundings with a sweep of a hand.

Rey ignored him as she continued to walk across the powdery sand.

"Where are we even going?" he demanded remembering how she had asked a similar question back on the pirate's ship. They had been walking through the desert for about an hour now and she hadn't once given him any idea as to what she was planning to do. As soon as he was able to pull himself from the sand the girl simply told him to follow her, and when he protested she brought up the blasted cuff again.

Even after a mere hour the heat was becoming unbearable and his throat burned with dryness. "You owe me that much, considering I saved your life," he said throwing her own words back at her.

Without turning around the scavenger tensed before speaking. "I don't owe you anything. You only saved me for your own selfish reasons," she spitefully returned.

"And you didn't?" Suddenly something occurred to him that he never considered. "All you did was spare yourself the guilt of letting me die. If you think keeping me alive will somehow justify how self-righteous you think you are, you're clearly more of a fool than I thought."

The scavenger stopped once again, clearly fuming this time. "That's not it!"

"Then why are you always trying to help me? Even when your own life is on the line!" he fired back.

"There's no law that says I have to explain myself to you of all people". The girl angrily sighed before tightening her hands into fists. "Besides, if I answered a question would you even honestly answer one of my own?" she suggested.

Ren scowled at her words. The scavenger was trying to be crafty and he knew it. The girl probably wanted confidential information regarding the First Order that she could feed the Resistance. Anything he could tell her would only work against him. Despite his willingness to understand her motives he knew duty came first.

"No, I wouldn't" he harshly replied.

She turned back around and resumed walking. Without facing him she calmly said, "You see, that's why I won't answer your question. Answers go both ways."

She was being absolutely infuriating and Ren clenched his teeth to calm himself down. Fine she didn't want to answer him? Well it didn't matter because he did not care what a lowly scavenger thought or why she did what she did. He told himself there was nothing to be confused over and he shouldn't have been getting this riled up. He tried to push aside his confusion by creating possible escape plans in his head but nothing seemed to work.

Something was not right, and it still bothered him.

* * *

It had been another few hours since Rey had quarreled with Kylo Ren and he had not uttered a single word. _It's nice to know I can make him quiet every now and again_ she thought triumphantly. However she did wonder whether it was truly her words, or the desert heat that had silenced the Force user.

Two suns were now directly over Tatooine's surface and Rey was keenly aware that the heat of the planet felt slightly more scorching than even that of Jakku. Therefore it slowed her pace and even caused her to wipe sweat from her brow more than she normally did. It didn't help that she was severely bruised all over and hadn't had anything to eat or drink. Back on Jakku it was common for her to spend a few meal-less days when her scavenging resulted in no treasures for Unkar Plutt. However water was more of a necessity in a hot, dry climate and if they didn't find it soon she knew they would be in a lot of trouble.

Rey risked a glance back at Ren and found him staring at the ground as he followed in the footsteps she had left in the sand. He seemed almost in a daze as he walked, but as usual his face did not reveal what he was feeling. Her gauzy white clothing was breathable and even had UV protection, but Ren's clothing…well she couldn't understand how he hadn't shed a few layers yet. Wearing all that dark clothing in the heat must have been unbearable, but she knew he would never admit it.

She bit her lip as she considered what she should do. Should she ask if he was alright? Rey took another quick peek at him. For once there was no anger or irritation in his eyes, only a blank, empty look. That couldn't be good.

Lost in her thoughts, Rey hadn't realized she had stopped walking until she felt Ren's tall figure collide with her back before collapsing onto the sand. Her eyes widened in shock and she whipped around to see him crumpled at her feet.

"Ren, are you there?" she asked poking him with her foot.

As if he had been electrocuted again Kylo Ren quickly shot up into a sitting position and looked around with a wild look in his eye. "How did I get here?" he accusingly asked.

"Hey don't look at me, you collapsed on your own," Rey said defending herself. The last thing she wanted was another argument over something she didn't do no less.

The Force user looked utterly confused and the daze from before seemed to be claiming him once more. As Rey looked down at him as he sat in her shadow she noticed that his usually pale face was quite flushed. Unlike her sun kissed skin, his was likely suffering to handle the sun rays since it was usually protected by a mask. How powerful the suns were here combined with the lack of water was taking its toll on him faster than her. Because he had collapsed she knew dehydration was beginning to set in.

"Come on we need to keep moving," she urged. If they didn't find water soon the dehydration would quickly turn into heat stroke. Though she hadn't gotten to Ren's point yet, she was starting to feel the beginnings of a headache and knew that she desperately needed hydration as well.

Instead of hearing her words Kylo Ren suddenly stared off into the distance as if he had spotted something. His gaze was transfixed on the horizon but when Rey followed his line of sight she found nothing but more sand dunes. The scavenger scratched her head in bewilderment. Perhaps he was already in worse shape than she assumed.

Rey quickly gestured in another direction. "Ren, we have to go," she insisted. "We have to find water," she explained, urgency seeping into her voice.

However, he seemed to be in another world.

* * *

There he was.

Han Solo.

Solo was smirking at him while his eyes screamed of judgment and disappointment. Despite the immense heat of the desert, he seemed to not be bothered by it at all. Not one gray hair was out of place. "Wow Ben, you look horrible. You're mother always told you to wear sun protectant when you were outside," he chastised.

Ren's eyes dangerously narrowed at the smug captain that stood before him. _How dare he treat me like a child!_

Solo took note of his frustrated expression and raised his eyebrows in amusement. "What? You thought you could get rid of me so easily? It'll take more than some light saber to strike me down," he casually explained.

The Captain just chuckled and shook his head. "Ben, you can't kill your own father. No matter what you do. The fact that I'm here still means I'm not gone yet," he pointed out. "You're going to have to try harder kid."

Kylo Ren quickly rose to his feet and was just about to reach Solo when he felt a small hand roughly grab his shoulder. When he spun around to see who dared to stop him he found the girl. "Let go of me scavenger," he barked shoving her hand away.

"What were you doing?" she asked. "What made you take off like that?"

Ren turned to look back at Solo so he could point him out, but found nothing there. He hadn't even left any footprints in the sand. There was no evidence that indicated whether he even existed to begin with. The force user must have imagined him.

"It was nothing," Kylo Ren quickly said.

Rey raised an eyebrow. "It didn't look that way to me," she explained.

"Just forget it," Ren snapped before rising to his feet and beginning to walk in the direction they were previously moving. The girl just paused for a moment before finally she hurried to reach him before slowing down to match his pace. Silence rose between them as they continued to wade their feet through the sand. He could tell the scavenger had something more she wished to say, but thankfully she was being quiet for the time being. If she pressed him for an explanation, what was he supposed to tell her? That Han Solo was alive-

"You know what I never understood Ben? Why did you think that killing me would help you feel better?" Solo asked as he suddenly appeared where the girl had previously been. "So I didn't win dad of the year, but that still doesn't explain why I exemplified your call to the light".

Ren tried to ignore Solo and remind himself that what he was seeing wasn't real.

Solo realized his son was ignoring him and continued his speech. "When things got tough you just had to blame somebody, didn't you? Why is it that the moment you question who you really are you figure it's justifiable to kill someone? Kill _me_?"

Despite his instincts telling him that Han wasn't really there, his words were cutting into him. How dare Solo tell him that he had killed him because of his own inner turmoil? Didn't he realize that he represented the Light side of himself? The he was a part of his life when the allure of the Dark side felt so far away and all he thought he needed was his family? By killing him he was killing that part of him!

As if hearing his thoughts Han sighed and shook his head. "You're wrong kid. You can never kill the light inside of you because it will always be a part of who you are. You just selfishly decided that by killing me you could rid yourself of it," he explained.

"No, you're wrong!" Ren exclaimed.

Before Solo could respond, he disappeared into thin air and all that was left standing was the girl from Jakku. His outburst surprised her and she brought her hand to rest on her light saber in response.

"What are you even talking about?" she speedily questioned.

Kylo Ren angrily sighed when he realized that Solo was an illusion again and stiffly turned his head to look away from the scavenger. "Just don't talk to me," was his only reply.

Rey stopped walking and threw her hands in the air. "I know you're not telling me something. What's up with you? Is it the heat?" she asked.

Why did she care? The girl was demonstrating that annoying sentiment of hers again and it was doing nothing more than annoy him. Why couldn't she just leave him be? The situation was bad enough as it was, and she was only making it worse. The reason they were even on this backwater planet was because of her.

He silently glared at her before muttering "drop it," with every ounce of finality he could muster.

However the girl challenged him. "We could always sto-"

"I'm fine!" he hissed and increased his pace as if to prove his point. However, the rapid movement caused him to feel light headed and a wave of nausea overtook him. Despite this he did not let it show as he continued to move despite his body's protests.

Rey returned his glare from before, but thankfully stopped pestering him. He could tell she was infuriated with him for his behavior, but he honestly didn't care. There was no reason to tell her he actually felt awful and could have used a break. If he did this he would be admitting a weakness to an enemy which he would never allow himself to do.

 _I have to be discrete though_ he told himself. _She can't know what…who's bothering me._

* * *

Rey knew the dehydration was getting to him, but he wouldn't admit it. If he wanted to stop she would have, but the fact that he was being hard headed and wouldn't admit it was frustrating. She was no slave driver like those on Jakku, who forced their workers to scavenge for hours in the heat with no water until they practically collapsed from heat stroke. Rey didn't like the guy, but she wasn't a monster.

Only five minutes after they had last spoken and he was back to sending quick glances at thin air as if something was watching him. Maker only knew what he saw, but she knew better than to question him about it again. Clearly the heat was getting to him faster than she assumed.

 _He must not have had any water the last time I offered him some_ she thought. Up until the pirates boarded their ship she had eaten and had some water she found. But Kylo Ren?

Rey stole a glance at the force user as he seemed to almost drag his feet now and stare off into space again. _Judging from the mess he made back on the ship I don't think he ate or drank anything_.

It didn't help that her headache was worsening and knew it would only be a matter of time before she started to act like the other force user. If one of them wasn't coherent, they were doomed.

Suddenly as if the Maker wanted to reiterate her thought she saw Ren randomly stop walking and sway in place. Before he could fall she dove to grab his arm, but his dead weight was too much and she collapsed along with him. As she lay across Ren's broad chest she sighed. This was happening far too often. Not wasting another moment she got off him, but when she was finally able to check on Ren she found his eyes closed and his breaths shallow. He was out cold.

Rey panicked and rose to her feet. How was she supposed to make it across the desert with Kylo Ren when he was unconscious? She didn't have a speeder this time and knew she couldn't support his weight. Rey was already too weak as it was. She looked at him once more then returned her gaze to the landscape around her.

Back on Jakku similar scenarios were often common. She had heard stories of scavengers' speeders suddenly malfunctioning in the desert and their occupants having to make their way back to Niima Outpost on foot. These tales often featured one of the scavengers passing out from the heat while the other may have been fine, but now responsible for the ill one. The healthy individual would experience a courageous streak before leaving the partner behind in order to find help. Sometimes they returned with aid in time, others times it did not turn out that way.

Rey wondered which of the two scenarios could occur if she left Ren behind. Would she arrive before it was too late? What if she found creatures on this planet that she couldn't communicate with or were hostile? She shook her head to push aside these thoughts. It didn't matter; all that did was that she at least try to find help.

She looked down at Kylo Ren one last time. "You better not be faking-" she warned "-because if you are, it'll be _me_ hunting _you_ this time."

With those final words she began to walk away towards parts unknown. The sand dunes ominously lay before her. Rey would have never tried to conquer such an expansive landscape without her speeder, but she had to try. As she took a few steps that were quickly swallowed up by the sand, doubtful thoughts began to plague her mind. Sticky situations were far too common to Rey, but she always managed to escape them at the last moment. Hopefully this time wouldn't be any different.

Rey walked and walked and walked.

She walked until her headache pulsated with pain so aggressively that her eyes watered. She walked until she felt the soles of her shoes starting to loosen and tear allowing the hot sand to pour into them. She walked until the wind began to draw up sand and pelt it against her skin, causing it to continuously sting and her hair to come loose from its buns. She walked until she could only stumble and fall before dragging herself to her feet until she could no longer walk.

Then she crawled until the two suns began to sink beneath the horizon as it took all the warmth from the day with it, leaving the air immensely frigid. She crawled until she could crawl no more and she lay on the earth, puffs of smoke leaving her mouth as she clung to herself in order to repel the intense shivers that attacked her body.

She stayed conscious as the stars twinkled high above her and offered her company as she tried to protect her fingers from frostbite. She stayed conscious until she was bathed in a milky blue light that may have been the moon for all she knew. She stayed conscious until she realized that the light seemed to emanate from a figure.

Then she let darkness claim her.

* * *

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! I wonder if the characters will meet some of Tatooine's interesting inhabitants next time? They already had some quality time with the sand, but I think it's time we take advantage of the other things the planet has to offer. Please review guys, it makes me type faster!

Lastly, thank you to crzykittyfangirl, WindrissQuinn, Earial13, megumisakura, Mitil Tenten, Anon, firerosedreamer67, christos200, PagesOfHappiness, AngelLover88, Lady Krystalyn, GreyGlassEyes, and the Guests for reviewing! You guys are all awesome!


	10. Chapter 10

_I do not own Star Wars_

* * *

As Rey slowly began to wake up she immediately took note of how her back did not seem to rest on sand, or that she was neither freezing cold nor immensely hot. None of the desert's elements seemed to plague her as she began to slowly pull herself out of her unconscious state. Rey's eyes were still closed, but she could tell that something soft was wrapped around her and that her migraine had vanished. Meanwhile a mysterious sense of coolness was seeping into her right arm that quickly spread throughout the rest of her body. The scavenger felt comfortable…too comfortable.

Rey's eyes snapped open to see a beige stone ceiling overhead. When she turned her head to look elsewhere, she discovered that she was snuggly wrapped up in a blanket and seemed to be lying on a cot. Glancing around she noticed that the room she was in was rather sparse and appeared to only have a metal door, a wooden chest, and a few chairs about. There was an open window on the other side of the room where a gentle breeze was drifting in causing her loose hair to tickle her cheeks.

Rey frowned in confusion. Where exactly was she?

She began to sit up but immediately stopped when she felt something pull at the skin on her right arm. Removing the covers she found an IV needle imbedded in it that was connected to a bag of light blue fluid that hid behind the cot. Whoever had found her, they were either slowly killing her or had saved her life. The question was, which one was it?

The latter seemed more possible when she noticed that her right hand was heavily bandaged and the tight feeling around her torso told her it was as well. One whiff of the bandages on her hand and the pungent smell was all she needed to know they contained bacta. Whoever had found her had spent a lot of time patching her up, however her unease still persisted. Rey would not allow herself to calm down until she was sure that she was in no danger.

Rey pulled out the needle and tossed it to the side before she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Looking down at herself she found that she was wearing a long, cream colored robe of some sort that was held in place with a band around her waist. Surprisingly after everything the force user had experienced after waking up, the fact that her clothes were missing unsettled her quite a bit. That was before she realized what else was missing…

 _Where are the light sabers?_ Her mind exclaimed.

Rey made to stand up and was pleased when she found herself strong enough to do so. The cool stone floor felt soothing against her calloused, aching feet and she took a moment to savor the feeling before she began looking around the room for her weapons and old clothes. She opened the wooden chest and managed to find her belt, with the electricity activator still on it but not the sabers, and a long gray shawl that was not hers.

She quickly fastened the belt around her waist before moving towards the metallic door. Rey tried to open it by pressing the button on the keypad, but it wouldn't budge. The keypad was simple itself, but the type that took some manual work in order to override its controls. Without the right tools she couldn't open it up. The scavenger was trapped.

Looking around the room again she saw the window and knew it was her best bet on escaping. Rey's strength had returned so it would not be difficult for her to climb out of it. However, just as she was about to finally reach it she heard the door open with a hiss.

A girl with long, straight black hair, probably a few years younger than Rey herself, stepped inside and quickly panicked when she noticed her. "Please you must sit down! You can't be up yet!" she exclaimed.

Though the girl seemed harmless, Rey knew better than to judge someone just by how they appeared.

"And why not? What was in that IV bag?" she suspiciously asked. If they really were trying to drug or kill her she would rather know than realize the answer later when she was suffering.

The girl brought her hands forward as if to calm the older girl. "Please Miss, it was only a bactade solution diluted with water. When my brother found you, you were so severally dehydrated that the only way to save your life was to have our droid administer the IV," she earnestly explained.

So wherever she was, the people who resided here had truly saved her life? Though she wanted to believe this girl her guard would not crumble. Years upon Jakku had planted mistrust within her when it came to handling strangers, therefore she could not relax until she understood the situation in its entirety.

"If you only wanted to help me, why did you also think it was necessary lock me in here?" Rey questioned.

The girl's dark brown eyes darted around as if the older girl had put her on edge. She clasped her hands together before finally she spoke, her eyes downcast. "Because, we didn't know if you…posed a threat," she quietly said the last part looking up. "My brother found you carrying weapons and we couldn't take any chances. Tatooine's inhabitants as you may know can be quite…unpredictable, in most cases highly dangerous."

The scavenger nodded in understanding. She may not be familiar with the planet, but something told her that like on Jakku the harsh environment of Tatooine probably also produced harsh individuals. When resources were scarce survival of the fittest had a larger significance, no matter the location.

"I probably would have done the same," Rey admitted, her eyes softening a hint. "I promise I'm not dangerous, the weapons were just for protection."

The younger girl seemed to visibly relax when she heard this. "That's good to hear," she said in relief.

Now that that was out of the way, the scavenger still had many questions that needed to be answered.

"Where am I?" Rey finally asked.

The girl brightened as she gestured towards the window. "See for yourself," she suggested.

Wordlessly Rey turned back around and stepped closer to the window. What she saw made her mouth open in awe.

They were at a staggering height in what appeared to be a closed off canyon, save for a small path that led out of it. As she looked out across the area she saw homes carved out of the smooth stone itself and people fearlessly walking along small steps the led down the canyon while carrying what appeared to be metal jugs. Despite how high up they were, they demonstrated no fear or hesitation as they went about their business.

Looking down Rey was surprised to find large brown beasts with imposing horns mulling about below as children happily chased each other amongst their large legs. Neither the beasts nor the children seemed to be hardly bothered by the other. Scattered about were also speeders of various builds and sizes. Though at first glance these people may have appeared primitive considering they lived in homes carved out of stone, they still possessed the technology of the day.

Rey relished in how the canyon offered natural shade and its structure concentrated the breeze moving through the entrance so that it constantly chased the desert's heat away. She took a deep breath of fresh air. Compared to the dune sea she had tried to traverse, this was paradise.

"We call this place _The Rock_ ," the girl mentioned joining Rey by the window. "The people who live here, including my family and I, come from a long line of Bantha herders. Our livestock produce milk that is the sweetest and most sought after in the entire galaxy because their diet consists of the unique shrubs that can only grow in this canyon."

Rey gestured to the hairy creatures in interest. "So those are Banthas?" she asked.

"Yes, despite their size they really are gentle creatures," the girl informed, her thin lips curving into a smile as if she had a personal fondness for the animals.

The scavenger stepped away from the window. The place was unlike anywhere she had ever seen. Back on Jakku people didn't normally live in canyons. They were too far away from the Starship Graveyard and were said to be inhabited by dangerous creatures. Rey had only every seen their stone structures reside in the distance, but never had she approached them before. Now that she was inside of one it really was quite stunning. The fact that people called this their home was even more amazing. Then again the fact that she had grown up in an AT-AT was probably even stranger when she thought about it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?" the girl said.

As far as Rey knew the First Order was not aware of her name, only her appearance and abilities. Therefore she felt that giving the girl her name was the least likely thing to make the canyon a target.

"I'm Rey, what's yours?"

"Samarah," she kindly replied.

Before Rey could say another word, the metal door suddenly opened again revealing a new figure. The person's steps were light yet purposeful as he or she finally stepped into the morning light that shone through the window. The light revealed that it was a young man, maybe only a few years older than Rey. He had short, black hair, olive skin, and clear grey eyes that reflected the light as if they were made of silver. It wasn't often Rey took notice in the opposite sex, but she had to admit he was quite handsome.

Similar to what Samarah wore, he had on grey trousers, brown boots, and a tan, robe-like shirt that was held together in place with a leather belt that had two familiar items attached to it. The light sabers.

"So I see you're awake?" the boy stated, addressing Rey. His voice was not exactly kind but it was not harsh either. Unlike Samarah, he appeared far more wary due to the way he was closely observing her.

Before Rey could respond, Samarah spoke up. "She was awake when I found her brother, the treatments must have been effective," she explained.

The young man met Rey's eyes. "Good, now that you're better you can answer some of my questions," he swiftly stated.

 _His_ questions? Rey still had many of her own, but she knew she had to play it cool and convince them that she was not a threat. At the moment her first priority was to get her weapons back. Just because these people may have saved her, it didn't mean others in the canyon wouldn't turn her over to the First Order for the reward the moment they recognized her. _Then again they could do the same if I reveal too much_ she thought.

"If I do, will you return my weapons to me?" Rey asked, meeting the young man's silver gaze.

"Well it depends on your answers."

"Then let's not waste time," Rey pointed out before sitting back on the cot, looking at the young man expectantly.

A flash of silent surprise appeared on his face, but it quickly vanished. Clearly he had not expected her response. "Alright then, what's your name?"

"Rey," she answered in a heartbeat.

"Rey…" the young man said silently trying it out. "Okay Rey, why were you trying to travel through the Dune Sea without transportation, food and especially water? I've seen people do crazy things on this planet, but that's asking for death."

The scavenger was slightly annoyed with his tone, but let it slide. "I was…on a ship traveling through space when it was boarded by pirates. I was able to escape in a pod, but it crash landed here," she explained. Rey figured it was best to tell as much of the truth as possible until it was absolutely necessary to lie. "I went looking for help but eventually passed out from dehydration."

Samarah gave Rey a concerned look. "Thank the Maker Jason found you in time. You're lucky he got to you before something else did like Krayt Dragon or a group of Tusken Raiders."

The man, Jason, crossed his arms and gave Rey a sharp look. "I'm sorry about what you had to go through, but there's something else I need to ask," he declared. "Why were you carrying these," he asked tapping the metal hilts on his belt. "I know what they are," the young man added as if to warn her against lying.

Rey was silent as her mind buzzed with possible answers. How could she explain the light sabers? She found them? No one had seen light sabers in quite a while, and the ones that existed were incredibly rare. Every answer she could come up with seemed horrible, but she would just have to say the one that was least likely to do the most damage.

"I'm a Jedi in training and I use them to practice," she finally answered.

"You're training with Luke Skywalker then?" Samarah excitedly asked.

These people knew about Luke Skywalker? Then again if she knew about him on a backwater planet like Jakku, it shouldn't have been strange for them to be aware of him as well. Though it would have been easy to say yes, it was dangerous to do so. The First Order was desperately looking for Luke so she couldn't associate herself with him, or else she risked drawing more attention to herself.

Rey shook her head. "No, I've been training myself. Only a little while ago I discovered that I was force sensitive and I decided to go on a journey to seek out the old Jedi temples. By finding them I had hoped I would gain information that would allow me to become a Jedi," she informed. "I found those light sabers in one of them and decided to keep them until I could learn how to make my own."

Samarah was speechless with awe while her brother appeared to be quite stunned. Rey wondered if this was how Finn had felt when he had lied and said that he was with the Resistance. It felt immensely wrong to not tell these people the truth, but at the same time she had no choice.

"That's amazing Rey!" Samarah cried as her face broke out into a smile. "So you can use the Force?" she quickly asked.

"A little."

"Still that's more than any of us can do! See Jason? Rey's harmless, she wants to be a Jedi!"

Jason was clearly shocked to learn about what she planned to do, but at the same time he would not let suspicion leave his eyes. "Regardless of what her goals are, she's still dangerous if she can use the Force. There are many who have used the Force to do unspeakable things."

Rey was beginning to get frustrated with this young man. She wasn't going to use her abilities to kill anybody, unlike a certain someone…

 _Wait a second_ her mind paused, as if trying to recall something. _Kylo Ren!_

Pushing aside the current conversation Rey quickly rose to her feet. "Listen, did any of you happen to-"

"Jaaaaay! Sissy! The big creepy guy woke up!" a child cheerfully yelled as she abruptly appeared in the room. A young girl, probably no older than 6, ran towards Jason and Samarah with a wide grin on her face as she carried a stuffed animal of some kind.

"Wait, hold on what creepy guy?" Rey desperately asked, despite having a pretty good guess.

It was Jason who answered her. "Before I found you I find a young man with dark hair and long dark clothes passed out in the sand. I brought you both back here."

 _Could it be him?_ Rey's mind wondered. She couldn't imagine the chances of someone else with his description being found in the desert, but she had to see for herself.

"Take me to him," Rey urgently asked.

Before Jason could reply, the young girl from before quickly grabbed Rey's hand and dragged her out of the room.

"I'll show you the creepy guy!" she happily announced.

* * *

 **A/N** : So yeah, it's a little on the short side, but I figured I would sacrifice length so I can update more. Also prepare for yourself for some major cuteness in the next chapter! It seems Kylo Ren has a new friend!

Thank you to everyone who followed, faved, and reviewed my story.

Super special thanks to firerosedreamer67, Earial 13, crzykittyfangirl, SorryLoveButIDon'tReallyCare, Anon, Guest, MissBrokenTeacup, TigerLily, PagesOfHappiness, and MelfryTheIronLady for reviewing!


	11. Chapter 11

_I do not own Star Wars!_

* * *

The girl pulled Rey through a series of winding, stone hallways as Jason and Samarah hurried behind them. Despite the child's size she kept a firm grip on her even though Jason constantly called for her to let go of the force user.

"Wait Kasi! She's not well, you shouldn't be dragging her around like that!" he said trying to convince the young one to let Rey go.

Rey could hardly hear the canyon dweller's protest as she focused on where the child was taking her. If she didn't speak to Ren before the others started to ask him questions he could blow her cover, or worse, hurt somebody. He may not have had his light saber, but he still had the Force on his side. The scavenger thanked the Maker that she at least had the cuff activator to control him. If she didn't, who knew what he might try to do.

Finally they arrived at another metal door that slid open once they approached. The girl, Kasi, pulled Rey inside and brought her towards a cot. As she neared the cot there was no mistake, Kylo Ren was the "creepy guy". He looked horrible with his skin peeling from sunburn, and his dark hair a tangled mess. Ren also appeared to be connected to an IV bag like she was. However unlike her, he was not bandaged up. Instead the bandage she had placed on his face was gone revealing a long thin scar where she had struck him with her light saber. He instantly met her eyes which showcased the familiar swell of emotions; however they seemed more subdued for the moment.

Kasi finally let go of Rey's palm and grinned. "Here is the creepy guy! See isn't he creepy?" she curiously asked.

Hearing her question, Kylo Ren's eyes immediately widened.

Rey almost laughed at his expression. The fact that the Commander of the First Order had let a child's comment get to him was highly amusing. With his dark hair, pale skin, and large scar across his face she could understand why a kid would think he was "creepy".

"Yes, I do," Rey replied deciding to please the child and piss off Kylo Ren. After everything he'd done she knew he could take a jab.

It wasn't long before Jason and Samarah caught up. When they arrived they were heavily panting and Samarah rested her back against the wall to catch her breath while Jason wiped sweat from his brow.

"I'm sorry about my little sister, sometimes she just gets excited," Jason apologized. "She's also become quite attached to this young man. Kasi kept an eye on him while he was unconscious."

Kasi quickly nodded. "He was sleeping so long I didn't think he would wake up, but then he did and now we're all here!"

Despite Jason's frustration with Kasi he still smiled at her as he playfully ruffled her curly, dark hair. "Good job kid," he said.

This caused Kylo Ren to look away for the moment. He was being surprisingly quiet for some reason.

"So do you know this man?" Samarah asked.

"Yes his name is…Re..Revan," Rey replied. Hearing this, Kylo Ren's head snapped back around in order to send her a curious look. "He was traveling with me to look for the Jedi Temples," Rey explained. Ren raised an eyebrow at this but still did not say anything. His silence was strange, but the scavenger wouldn't waste the opportunity it provided.

Rey turned back around to face Jason and tried to put on a saddened expression. "Listen I was wondering if I could have a moment alone with him? I'm so relieved that he's alright that I just need a second to speak with him," she earnestly asked. Jason looked slightly hesitant at her request, so she decided to step up the act.

"Some of what I might say is quite…personal," she said for extra measure while trying to appear shy at admitting this.

Jason flushed and began quickly nodding, understanding what her words implied. It was strange to see the uptight man behave in such a way. "Oh, um, yes of course! Samarah, Kasi, let's go!" he urged his siblings.

"But I want to talk to the creepy guy!" Kasi complained.

"They'll be other times. Come on," Samarah said while grabbing her hand and leading her out of the room.

The moment Rey heard the electronic door slide closed, she let her sad expression vanish.

"I didn't realize you cared so much," Ren pointed out.

Rey shook her head and pulled a chair up next to the cot. "About you? Never," she said.

Kylo Ren didn't reply, but his smirk said everything. He didn't believe her. "Says the one who always risks her life for me."

Rey sighed in frustration. "I don't have time for this again," the scavenger said. Why couldn't he just let the topic go? She had her reasons for saving him, but if she tried to explain them to him he would only become angrier.

Ren scowled when he heard this. "Yet you have time to come up with ridiculous stories? Is this your idea of a joke? Making up names and saying that I'm seeking out Jedi Temples with you? I didn't realize you had it in you to so terribly lie," he explained, anger slipping into his tone. "Careful _Rey_ , we all know that lying is a characteristic of the Dark Side."

"In that case I'll never know whether that statement was even true because you claim to be a part of it," she countered. As soon as she said this, Rey chastised herself for letting her anger get the best of her again.

Before Ren could furiously respond she put up her hand to silence him. "Just stop, we can't keep fighting like this. There are others around and they could hear us."

"I'll stop when you stop," he said. He was acting childish, but Rey knew she had been as well. Therefore she knew she needed to make an example of herself and demonstrate that she could act mature, hopefully then he would do the same.

 _Keep it mature Rey, mature_ she repeated to herself. _He's not worth losing your anger over every two seconds._

"Fine," she said. This caused Kylo Ren to send her a slightly surprised look as if that was the last thing he was expecting to come out of her mouth.

Taking advantage of his silence, Rey began to tell Kylo Ren about everything that had happened. Rey explained where they were, who these people were, and the story she had fabricated about them. She came up with a well thought out cover story for Kylo Ren and explained it to him as well. Surprisingly he listened closely as she informed him.

"We're going to stick with this story, and you're not going to hurt anybody, alright?" she stated placing her hand on the activator to warn him.

Ren sneered at this. "Quit trying to threaten me scavenger. We both know you wouldn't truly use it even if I had a saber against your neck." He looked her in the eye. "You're too _soft_."

Rey was about to counter him but he spoke first. "That's why I will willingly go along with your story. Not because you told me to, but because it's _my_ choice."

The scavenger was surprised to hear him say this. Why would he not immediately blow their cover? It would only benefit him if these people contacted the First Order. So why was he going along with the plan? What was he up to?

"So what's your reasoning? What do you get out of this?"

"Simple, there's no reason to attract attention to ourselves. Besides how will we ever get our light sabers back and get out of here if I go on a killing spree as you like to imagine I will," he replied irritably.

"How do I know you won't just go ahead and contact the First Order?" Rey suspiciously asked.

"I doubt even if I found the right technology I could establish a stable connection to a communication channel out here in the middle of the desert."

Rey leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. "What about the light sabers? You're not going to force choke Jason and demand them back?"

Kylo Ren rolled his eyes at her paranoia. "I doubt I could get away with it without you or another one of these Bantha people finding out. You seem to forget that I'm outnumbered and can't exactly escape. Even if I grabbed a speeder I wouldn't know where to go."

He had a point. Technically they were trapped here until Jason or someone else pointed them towards the nearest spaceport. The last thing they wanted to do was get lost in the desert again. Not having the light sabers also meant no protection, and Rey needed all the protection she could get in order to ensure that she returned Kylo Ren to the First Order in one piece. If she stole them back these people would never help them, or worse, attack and capture them. No they had to earn their trust if they were ever going to leave the canyon with the light sabers.

As Rey looked at his serious expression she internally cringed because she realized she had to trust this twisted, unpredictable man. Kylo Ren was definitely up to something, she could just feel it. As much as she wanted to just tie him up and throw him somewhere until the Resistance came she knew it wasn't an option. She just had to accept the danger that came with his proposal and put him down if things got out of hand.

"I hope I can trust you," Rey warned.

Kylo Ren sighed and rested back against the pillows. "You have no choice," was his only reply before allowing his eyes to slowly close.

Rey looked down, feeling upset with herself. "I know," she muttered under her breath.

* * *

After Rey had left Kylo Ren's room, Samarah had quickly found her lost in the hallways and had escorted her back to where she had awoken. On the way back she ran into her own room before speedily returning with armfuls of clothing and a pair of brown shoes. She informed Rey that she would lend her some clothes so that she could change and join her family for lunch. When the scavenger had inquired about her old clothing Samarah told her that they were quite dirty and had numerous tears. They would have to be cleaned and mended before she could wear them again.

Now back in her room, Rey stood quietly beside Samarah as she excitedly placed numerous outfits across the cot while commenting on them. Their colors tended to range anywhere from grey to white and were made of a coarse material. Some had robe openings while others were plain shirts like the ones she wore on Jakku. Though the outfits with robe openings were different, she wasn't really used to them and instead gravitated towards a grey shirt with sleeves that went to her elbows. Finding some white three-quarter pants she also pulled them to the side so she could eventually change into them.

Even with her outfit decided something about it bugged Rey. It was missing something. Back on Jakku she always wore a long gauzy, wrap over her clothing so that if there was ever a sandstorm or the sun was too harsh she could quickly use it to protect her face. Rey wasn't sure how long it would be before she got her old clothes back, so she decided to ask Samarah about whether she had any.

"Hey Samarah, do your people commonly wear wraps?" Rey asked.

The younger girl held in chin thought. "Not usually, but I'm sure I could find one for you to use if you want." Suddenly her brown eyes lit up as if remembering something. "As a matter of fact," she hurried over to the chest from before, "I keep a blanket in here, but you can use it if you want".

Samarah pulled out the long grey cloth Rey had found earlier and handed it over to her with a smile. "Think this will do?" she asked.

Rey took the soft material in her hands and nodded. "This should be fine, thank you Samarah," she spoke.

"No problem! I'll wait for you outside so when you're done just step out of the room and I'll take you to the dining area," she informed the older girl.

Rey quickly changed into the clothing and threw the grey cloth around her and fastened it in place with her own belt. Instead of wearing it as a wrap and letting the ends hang around her, she decided to use it more as a shawl since there was so much more material. Her wavy chestnut air was still loose and grazed the top of her shoulders, but she decided she could find hair ties later on. It wasn't like she was scavenging and needed it to be immediately out of the way. She slipped her feet into the shoes and walked towards the door. Unlike last time it slid open once she was in front of it.

Meeting Samarah, she led her down the hall and through a different corridor. As they neared the dining room Rey could smell the scent of food drifting down the hall. This caused her stomach to rumble on its own accord.

Samarah heard this and laughed. "So when was the last time you had a real meal?" she asked.

"Pretty much never," Rey admitted. She hardly considered the packaged meals she ate back on Jakku as proper food.

"Then you're in for a real treat, Jason's cooking today," she explained.

"I take it he's a good cook then?"

Samarah nodded. "Like you wouldn't believe."

When Rey entered the dining room she found Kylo Ren already seated at the table and looking quite bored. He was wearing a dark grey shirt with a robe opening, pants, belt, and boots. It was almost strange seeing him look so normal. When he wasn't garbed in his long, dark clothing he looked a lot less like a menacing murderer and more…human. He almost appeared younger as if the evils of the world hadn't already aged and tainted his character.

Meanwhile the kid from before, Kasi, sat next to Ren and was engrossed in explaining something important to him. Jason on the other hand was preoccupied with placing bowls on the table, but did manage to steal a glance at her before he went back to his task.

Samarah moved towards the table and pulled out the seat next to Ren for her. "You can sit here," she suggested before walking towards her brother so she could help him. Rey couldn't exactly protest, so she sat down and tried not to remind herself that she was about to have lunch with Kylo Ren of all people.

Now closer, Rey couldn't help but listen to Kasi as she tried to chat with him. "Have you ever seen a womp rat creepy guy? They're also creepy!" she told him.

Rey smiled when she said this, but quickly covered it so Ren wouldn't see.

"No," he replied in irritation.

"What! You haven't? That's crazy! Here!" Kasi exclaimed before picking her stuffed animal off of the table. She then placed it on Kylo Ren's lap before he could say anything.

He looked down at it in surprise before tentatively picking the ugly looking toy off of his lap. Rey curiously studied him, hoping he wouldn't snap at the child.

Kasi happily watched him do this. "That's my womp rat! His name is Womp Rat!"

Kylo Ren frowned at the girl and carelessly dropped the toy back onto the table. "Why would you name it what it's already called?"

"Because nobody ever does!" she proudly stated.

Ren huffed in annoyance, while Rey openly laughed at this. "I think that was a smart idea, don't pay attention to _Revan_ here," she said. This earned another look from Kylo Ren, but he held his tongue.

Kasi grinned at the scavenger. "Thank you Rey!"

"You know my name?" Rey asked in curiosity.

"Of course! Jay and Sissy were busy, so I kept asking the creepy guy until he finally told me!"

Rey looked at Kylo Ren, but he would not meet her eyes. She was pretty surprised that he had honestly answered the small child's question to begin with.

"Kasi, leave Revan alone. It's time to eat," Jason said while finally taking a seat. Samarah took the one on Rey's other side.

Once everyone was seated the siblings began to take food from the bowls scattered about the table. Seeing them do this, Rey and Kylo Ren eventually followed their example. There were many things Rey had never seen nor eaten before. She tried flatbread and was amazed by how soft it was. She also had her first ever bite of fresh meat and loved how tender and flavorful it tasted. It was not chewy like the dried ration meats she ate on Jakku. However what she enjoyed the most was the mysterious blue liquid Samarah poured into her cup. It was so sweet and creamy that after one sip Rey couldn't help a small smile from appearing on her face.

Kylo Ren quietly ate beside her and didn't appear to be as impressed as she was. His face did not reveal delight like hers as he suspiciously looked at the food on his plate before taking hesitant bites.

"Hey creepy guy, can you pass the bantha milk?" Kasi asked.

"Kasi! His name is Revan, it's rude to call him "creepy guy"!" Samarah chastised.

"Ugh fine, Revan can you pass the milk?"

When Kylo Ren didn't immediately do anything Rey nudged him in the side and sent him a look. She nodded towards the kid as if to remind him to be polite. Had he learned no manners growing up or did he just decide to abandon them when he joined the First Order?

Ren silently sighed and grasped the jug before placing it by the girl.

Kasi smiled at him and pointed at her empty glass. "Can you please pour some for me?" she sweetly asked.

This time Rey didn't need to remind him to be nice and he wordlessly poured the blue liquid into the girl's glass. The scavenger almost wanted to laugh at the scene. One of the galaxy's most dangerous figures was pouring a child some milk. What was the world coming to?

After a few more minutes of eating, Jason decided that it was time to ask some more questions. "So Revan, how did you meet Rey?" he inquired.

Rey's fork froze before it could enter her mouth. This was it, he either blew their cover and ruined the whole plan, or he said the right thing and proved that he was at least somewhat trustworthy. _Well as far as killers go_ Rey reminded herself.

"We were both looking for Jedi Temples when we ran into each other and decided to just travel together," he replied. His voice was not exactly enthusiastic about what he was saying, but it didn't sound fake either. Rey was immensely relieved and quietly released a breath.

"So you're training to be a Jedi as well?" Samarah asked in interest.

Rey saw Kylo Ren's fist tighten as it rested on his leg. "Yes," he answered after a moment.

"Creepy guy is going to be a Jedi!" Kasi suddenly shouted. She abruptly grabbed his arm and looked up at him with big, earnest eyes. "Have you heard of Luke Skywalker? He's from Tatooine and he's a Jedi, and he saved the Galaxy, and I hear he's really nice!"

Rey felt a slight disturbance in the air and saw her glass of milk rattle. She looked up at Ren and was prepared to do something when he took a deep breath and the rattling stopped.

"Yes, I met him a long time ago," he managed to say. Only Rey noticed the cold undertones of his voice. She vaguely recalled how Han Solo had mentioned Luke when she had accidently probed into Kylo Ren's mind. Rey wondered if he would hide the fact that he had trained with him for possibly years.

"What was he like?" Kasi quickly wondered.

Jason and Samarah had stopped eating and were listen closely. Even Rey herself patiently waited to hear what Kylo Ren had to say.

"Let's just say he's not everything the stories make him out to be," he sharply declared before looking back at his plate.

Rey deflated like everyone around her due to both what he had said and the fact that he didn't seem to want to talk anymore. It was disappointing that the only way she could learn anything about Luke Skywalker was through a stubborn force user that appeared to have a grudge against him.

After eating for a little while longer Rey decided that it was time she said a few things. "Jason, I know I should have said it before, but thank you for saving our lives. If you hadn't found us we may have died out there," she explained.

"You're welcome Rey," he returned with a small smile. "Though generosity is not something commonly practiced on Tatooine it was something our parents ingrained into our family. Therefore it would have felt wrong to leave you two in the sand."

Speaking of parents, where were theirs anyway? Instead of asking, Rey just assumed they might have been preoccupied or off doing something else for the time being. Perhaps she would just meet them later on.

"Your parents are good people then," Rey said, a touch of sadness in her voice. Were her parents compassionate? Though she had spent her whole life imagining that she had the perfect family that would return for her one day, she was beginning to realize that she many have been wrong. What type of family would leave their own daughter alone to fend for herself on a hostile planet?

She shook away her thoughts and tried to focus on the present. "Though we are extremely grateful for your hospitality, at the same time we don't want to over-stay our welcome. Therefore if you could help us get to the nearest spaceport with our light sabers we would be extremely grateful."

"That's not possible," Samarah suddenly said. "At least for the time being."

"Why's that?" Rey asked. Did these people honestly plan to keep them there? Though the food was excellent Rey knew this wasn't some vacation. She needed to return to the Resistance as soon as possible.

It was Jason who answered. "About thirty minutes ago some of the other families that live in the canyon took the speeders out to make milk deliveries. I just returned from my deliveries so I won't have access to one again until they return in about a week," he explained. Rey thought back to the speeders she had seen earlier. Were they really all gone?

Rey sensed Kylo Ren tense beside her. "Are speeders the only way to get to the nearest town?" she quickly inquired.

Jason nodded his head. "Unfortunately they are. The dune sea is too harsh and dangerous to traverse without transportation. Some people use Dewbacks, but nobody in the canyon owns any."

"Yay!" Kasi suddenly cheered. "Creepy guy and Rey get to stay longer!" she cried before grabbing Kylo Ren around the waist and tightly hugging him.

"Kasi!" Jason and Samarah yelled in unison.

Meanwhile Ren appeared quite stunned for a few seconds, maybe even uncomfortable. However it wasn't long before his frown returned and he tried to pry Kasi off of him. He put his hand on her small forehead and tried to push her off that way, but she just laughed at this. Rey was immensely amused and decided that meeting Kasi was one of the most interesting things to have happened to them on this trip of theirs. The entire scene was utterly ridiculous but in a good way. Rey couldn't remember the last time she had been so amused. Living as a scavenger on a planet like Jakku didn't have many light moments.

Jason and Samarah had now arrived at Kylo Ren's side and were trying to help him get Kasi to let go. Despite the humorous situation, Rey couldn't help but allow Jason's words to finally sink in. They were trapped here for a week and there was nothing they could do about it. This meant they would also have to keep up their act if they wanted to convince the family that they were harmless traveling Jedi in training. Rey knew she could do it, the question was how long would Kylo Ren last?

Rey watched Jason try to pull Kasi off of him. She prayed to the Maker that the coming week would go smoothly, yet something told her that what she was asking for was actually a miracle.

 _I suppose hiding the fact that "Revan" is one of the most dangerous figures in the galaxy shouldn't be a problem_ Rey sarcastically thought.

* * *

 **A/N** : Hi my dear readers! So if you were wondering what Rey's new clothes look like it is actually one of her outfits that was designed for her in the Force Awakens concept art. I thought it looked pretty cool so I decided to incorporate it into my little tale. If you want to see the outfit just type in 'Rey concept art' in a search machine and it should be the first one to pop up!

Lastly big thanks to crzykittyfangirl, Earial13, Skyfluffles, RGLStarwarsmaster, GreyGlassEyes, Angelique Sauvengarde, PagesOfHappiness, christos200, Devilvader99, kat and the wonderful Guests for the reviews!


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